The Queen's Mother
by Miyu kuran
Summary: "The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children." And Ikuko Tsukino would do just that.
1. Prelude

**AU: So, this is The Queen's Mother. It's really an idea I had when I was in the 10th grade and started writing it that year. I forgot about it until i came across the first draft of the first chapter I uploaded unto my tumblr drafts. The idea is that 2nd Ice age happened and everyone wakes up about 900 years later, and Ikuko Tsukino wakes up to find her daughter, and most everyone connected to her missing. So, what's a mother to do when everyone tells you that your daughter is dead, but deep inside you know this not to be true? That's the whole premise of The Queen's Mother. This draft is way different than the original one I wrote when I was 16. I like it much better. It's funny to see how much your writing grows with you the more you do it. Now onto general rules and tips for reading this. First off, I use the English names. I know, as much as love Usako and Mamo-chan, since I watched the anime in the original english dubbed, writing it that way, while not impossible, is extremely difficult. So for one I apologize for that and hope it does not put you off of my story. Also if a character that has a Japanese name that wasn't featured in the anime appears, the name will stay Japanese. Next, For some reason in my head I thought that the English name for Ikuko Tsukino, or Usagi's mother, was Ilene Tsukino. If I missed something in the edits and I refer to her as such, I again apologize. I am my own beta, so it's hard catching my own grammar and spelling mistakes. If you find some, I'm terribly sorry. I'm not so good at grammar but I am getting better. Lastly, I combine canon from both Anime and Manga, this might even include Crystal depending on the topic. I will usual explain the my writing what is canon and what is not to get a better gist of things. If things are confusing don't hesitate to contact me. Anyway this is really a short project that I wanted to do in between my other long term one called, Origins: Nightstar for DC Comics. Like I said I wrote this chapter and three other about 3 years ago. So, this story isn't going to have 30K words like my other fic is. At most 5k words and this will be posted when I'm in the mood, since it's a side project just for fun and a creative ****outlet. With that I hope you enjoy the first installment of The Queen's Mother.**

* * *

 _The Queen's Mother: The Story of Ikuko Tsukino_

 _Chapter 1: Prelude_

 _ **The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children.**_

 _ **~Jessica Lange**_

Through the years Ikuko Tsukino had always prided herself on how good of a mother she was. Her children were happy, her husband was happy. They had that perfect life that you see on those family sitcoms. Sure they had good times and bad times, but this was the life she always wanted. To her it was perfect, or at least it was. Everything changed when her eldest, her daughter Serena, had gotten into her second year of middle school. The change was slow, and at first Ikuko didn't quite realize how things were changing... At least, until it was too late.

The first change Ikuko could say she noticed was the cat. It was a fairly easy and obvious change. She had always wanted a family pet. Ikuko had entertained getting Sammy, her son, a dog for his birthday. She had entertained the idea until Serena had come home with a black cat in tow. She called her Luna and told her mother she was now hers. She didn't even ask if she could keep the cat, only rattling off about what supplies they needed for the peculiar looking cat. Yes, Peculiar. The cat had the oddest birthmark on it's forehead. A golden crescent moon that shined in contrast against the dark fur. This is where the changes all began.

The next big change was that Serena started sneaking out at night. Serena was a good kid, hated the idea of any kind of trouble. Despite her bad grades, Serena was just a typical good natured girl. It wasn't even in her personality to sneak out at night. It was odd that she would something like that. So, instead of confronting the girl Ikuko decided she would just watch. If Serena were getting into something dangerous she would intervene until then, watching and waiting would be suffice. Before she confronted Serena about it she needed to know why exactly she was sneaking out. Ikuko believed she had gotten her answer a couple weeks later when Serena again showed up on her doorstep this time it wasn't a stray cat she brought home. It was a boy. Honestly, Ikuko almost had a panic attack right then and there, but she calmed herself and smiled nicely at the young man. His name was Darien. He was 3 years older than Serena, but he was an all "A" Student, top of his class at that all boys prep school. He was extremely handsome, too. After having dinner with him, with Ken glaring daggers at him the whole time Ilene had concluded that they hadn't done anything Serena wasn't ready for, but still Ikuko talked to her daughter about the had blushed and stammered a response when Ikuko had brought it up. Revealing what Ikuko already knew to be true, and had stopped dead in her tracks when Ikuko had asked if she had been going to Darien's house when she snuck out. Serena oddly laughed it off and admitted to it. Saying that she just slept over there sometimes, and that Darien was so old fashioned he wouldn't dare try anything. The second part Ikuko knew for certain was true, but for some reason she had gotten the feeling that Serena had lied about sneaking over to Darien's house. However, what else could it be? Ikuko wrote it off.

Looking back Ikuko realized all these changes had to do with Serena. At first they were small, her group of friends changed, and grew. The sudden appearance and disappearance of their niece, who was named Serenity. Oddly enough, Ikuko hadn't been in touch with her brother for years, so him sending his daughter to her for a year and a half was something that still puzzled her, or why he would give her name so close to Serena. Then it was the injuries. Serena would sometime have cuts and bruises that she would never account for, only for them to be completely healed by the time she got home form school. Then Serena's personality. This change had to be the most gradual. She was still her flighty self, but Ikuko noticed that she wasn't as social as she used to be. She rarely talked to her old friends at school anymore, and tended to stray from them now. She had watched Serena and her circle of friends before. They acted like they had some secret, like they were so tight nit that no one could enter the group. Ikuko noticed that she saw less and less of Molly and Melvin, and more of Mina, Lita, Amy and Raye. In fact, Serena didn't even talk about them anymore. Serena lost interest in a lot of the things that she loved, like that Sailor V character. She almost stopped her weird worship of the superhero around this time. Ikuko wrote it off as Serena just growing up. Her once immature daughter was now prone to bounds of maturity that Ikuko was sure she wouldn't obtain until she was at least in college. Her once cowardly child now ran into dangers, just to help random strangers. Yes, in Ikuko's mind at the time it had to be just Serena growing up it couldn't be anything else.

All of these incidents could be explained rather easily. Children grow up and change. Ikuko knew it was natural no matter what warning bells rang off in her head. To this day, Ikuko does not have an answer for the biggest change. The missing time. Ikuko had always made sure to know, or at least try to know where her daughter was through out the day. She made sure Serena was always comfortable telling her where she was going, but Serena would lie and say Mina's when Ilene knew it was Darien's place she was going to, and other times she would say Raye's only to disappear for hours on end. One time hours turned into a full day. The first time it happened Serena was gone for a full 24 hours. She had left that morning for school, saying she was staying at Raye's, only for Ilene to call Raye's grandfather when Serena hadn't come home that morning to find that none of the girls were actually there. She almost called the cops, but Raye's grandfather ever the calm peace maker stopped her saying that the great fire gave him a vision that promised the girls safe return very soon. Not even an hour later Serena was running through the door, covered in new bruises and cuts, screaming about how hungry she was. It was almost like nothing had changed. Out of fear, Ikuko never brought up the full day Serena went missing, she even hid from Ken and Sammy. And like most secrets she eventually forgot about it.

Things got better. After Serena's first year in high school everything changed. It seemed like a calm before the storm. For a full year nothing out of the ordinary happened to Serena that Ikuko could see. With Darien off the Harvard she saw Serena home a lot more. And their niece had apparently gone back to Ikuko's brother not that Ikuko could ever get into contact with him. Things seemed almost normal again. Serena running late to school this time with Mina who would bound rapidly onto the front door being Serena's late bell before turning and running off to school Serena struggling to keep up with the athletic girl. Lita would come over to drop by a cake or some cookies not just for her friend but for the whole family. Raye always made sure that Ikuko knew about up coming festivals that Serena would just beg for some money for. And Amy would have all of the girls sitting in the Tsukino's studying for what ever big test or exam that was coming up. Mina always happy to correct the girls' english for finals. Amy trying to help Serena and Lita understand the math. Raye trying to force what ever she could for her upcoming catholic studies exam, the only class she didn't have the other girls' help with. It was normal. That's really all Ikuko could say about the whole 2nd year of high school that Serena and her friends had.

The next year things got back to being peculiar. Serena had just started talking back to other groups of people. One day she finally went to the movies with Molly and Melvin and others outside her regular group. All that changed a couple months into the new and last school year. Mina moved. She went back to England for a reason not exactly clear to Ikuko, but when she did things became rather somber. With Darien gone, as well, Serena went back to only speaking to her main group of friends. Her once loud discussions became hushed whispers. She also barely spent time at home now. Sleeping in Darien's apartment instead. It was almost as if Serena were avoiding her family. Ikuko originally thought that it was the stress of having both Darien and Mina gone. Originally. Again Serena's friend group changed. Towards the end of the year Mina moved back with four men in tow. A young french man who was an actor, A prominent Japanese business man, An American Talent/Sports Manager, and a middle Eastern freelance detective. With Serena and the girls's graduation coming up Darien returned as well. Ikuko final thought that things would return to normal only for in fact the opposite to happen. The Graduation Ceremony was attacked by some kind of monster. In the chaos Ikuko not only lost Serena but Sammy, too. What surprised Ikuko the most was that later on that night, finally forced home by law enforcement and Ken, Serena walked through the door. Minor injuries, but looking better than many who had left the Ceremony, and next to her was her brother Sammy. Ikuko didn't bother asking where wither had been or what happened to them, but when Ken did, they both gave vague and different answers before finally agreeing on one. Sammy went looking for Serena and got caught up with the battle between the monster and the Sailor scouts, they were almost killed had not Serena's friend that race car driver, Amara Tenou not been close by. As if to prove there lie true, an car horn was heard from outside. Opening the door. Amara's expensive sports car was seen, and with a wave out of the car window from she drove off. That seemed to be enough for Ken who ordered the two to get cleaned up, and head to bed.

Serena refused saying that Darien would be coming to pick her up in 10 minutes, and that she was going with him. Ikuko and Ken argued with Serena. That it would give them some piece of mind if she were to remain in the house that night. She still refused the offer to remain in the house sighting that she was an adult now, and if she wanted to stay the night at her fiancé's she could if she wanted to. Ken bit the inside of his cheek before agreeing with her most begrudgingly. She was right. Serena was 18 now they couldn't stop her from leaving. Sammy remained oddly silently only glaring at his sister for some odd reason. Serena quickly ran upstairs grabbed a backpack filled with clothes and walked out the door to meet Darien. Ikuko ignored the dread she felt in the pit of her stomach. She ignored the feeling that she had about letting her daughter walk out the door, but what could she have done. As Ikuko watched her now adult daughter leave, Ikuko lead herself to believe that the feeling of fear she felt for her daughter was actually just her motherly side upset that her daughter was now an adult. Ikuko watched from the window as Serena climbed into Darien's car and drove off. The feeling didn't vanish, it did not leave. Serena never came back the next morning.

Ikuko told the angry Ken that they should probably give them the whole weekend. After all, Serena would probably be moving in with the boy soon seeing as he was done with his foreign studies. Ken agreed again though still ranting about how he wasn't too sure about this Darien character. Though Ikuko knew that it was all really an act. Darien was everything that Ken would want for his daughter and more, but how was he supposed to let his baby girl go? So, the Tsukino parents waited. Serena didn't come home that Sunday. There was no call either. Monday morning Ikuko had been half expecting Serena to come running through the door, but it didn't happen. By the time Ken came home there was still no sign or word from Serena. Ken was not only worried, but livid. A more accurate word could be worriedly livid. He was upset that after all this time Serena didn't feel the need to call her parents. He and Ikuko got into the family car, and drove all the way to Darien's apartment complex. When they got to the door. Ken began banging on the door, loudly demanding for Serena and Darien to open the door, but there was no answer. That worried feeling Ikuko had surged with a vengeance. Ken only began to bang louder on the door, till finally a neighbor had come out to ask what was wrong.

When Ken and Ikuko explained that they were Darien's fiancée's parents, and that they were just trying to locate the two young people the young woman finally decided that it was okay to divulge information about Serena and Darien. The Neighbor, who was named Megan, explained that she was not only Darien's neighbor but a friend of his, and that he was currently not at home. Ikuko then asked about where he might be then because Serena had been with him. With a little hesitation, Megan answered that Serena had in fact gone with Darien, and when asked how long they would be gone Megan only shrugged in response. She told the worried parents that Darien hadn't said where or how long they would be gone. He only asked that she took care of his house plants and get his mail daily. Ikuko would have panicked had not Ken choose to beat her too it. He threatened to call the the police on Darien and have him charged with kidnapping. Megan looked like she immediately regretted telling the parents about Darien and Serena. Ikuko took control of the situation. She quickly talked Ken down. Explaining that there was no way Serena went anywhere against her will. They had a hard enough time trying to get her to school, there was no way she would go somewhere she didn't want to go. Ken agreed. Serena was too strong willed to ever follow through in something she didn't believe in. After much thought and hesitation, the neighbor Megan said that she had the spare key to Darien's apartment and that she would let them look inside. Ken and Ikuko agreed immediately.

Inside was empty, but the worried parents did in fact find the reason why Serena wasn't answering her phone. On the kitchen counter laid two phones. A small simple phone with a shiny pink case covered in rabbit's and a no nonsense smartphone laid side by side as if being there on purpose. They had left the phones on purpose. Megan apologized saying that if she heard from Darien or Serena she would call them. Ken and Ikuko went home and began searching. First to the Shrine. Mr. Hino did not know where his granddaughter was and when told of Serena's missing state he said he also hadn't seen Raye since the graduation. Chad had nothing to say almost as if he were hiding something. Dr. Mizuno also had nothing to add, but confirmed that Amy was also missing as well. Same with Mina. Lita was the hardest with no parents or guardians Ken went to her place of work, a restaurant, She hadn't been heard from either. So desperate the parents tracked down those other friends of the girl's. All of them from there boyfriends to that Amara girl, her Girlfriend Michelle and their adopted daughter, Hotaru were even missing. The other, an older woman, they couldn't even track down. All of them missing, like they had vanished into thin air. They went to the police only to be shot down. Just because a couple of teenagers decide to run away together since they were all of legal age there was nothing that could be done. All 14 people gone.

Distraught the parents of the missing young people ganged together, putting up posters and asking around. None of it ever amounted to anything. Eventually the equally worried Megan, Darien's neighbor, gave them the name of one person who might still be in contact with the missing group. Andrew Furuhata, a long time friends of the whole group. It was eventually decided that Dr. Mizuno would talk to young lad seeing as they didn't want to scare him off if he did know anything. Dr. Mizuno went to the Crown Arcade and came back 20 minutes later. According to the doctor, the boy at first wasn't all that fore-coming with information denying that he knew anything at all. Eventually after Dr. Mizuno begged him he told her that he did know something, and that to respect all of there privacy he would only tell them that they had all promised to come back. When? He didn't know. He apparently only knew that they had to leave and promised to return. He didn't answer when asked if they were doing anything dangerous. He had been cryptic with answers, and none of the parents were getting answers from anywhere else. Apologizing on behalf of the whole missing Group Andrew assured them that they would be home soon.

Two weeks later was a bit longer than Ikuko had expected, but Andrew Furuhata had told the truth. Serena had walked back through the door around three, may be four, in the morning rummaging through her room packing her things. Apparently, she planned to see her parents in the morning, but the need for fresh clothes was too important to wait. Luckily, it was only Ikuko who had been awake. She had a hard time sleeping through the nights that Serena were missing, and honestly didn't even hear the girl come in, though she was awake. It was the flickering of her room light, and and the silent shut of her room door that alerted Ikuko to her presence. Further inspection, Ikuko could tell that Serena had not in fact come in from the front door, but her bed room window. Here was her daughter, trying to grab clothes and leave her home, again. Ilene sighed. It was much too late for all of this, and the weekend had started meaning that Ken was off of work in the morning. The look on Serena's face was of pure guilt, as if she was surprised not only that she and gotten caught, but because of the fact that she had been away for so long. She bit her lip in anticipation for the screaming her mother was probably going to dish out onto her, instead Ikuko surprised. While Ikuko wanted to scream, yell, and cry asking her daughter where she had been for three weeks the tired look in Serena's eyes told a greater story. So instead, Ikuko decided the story could wait till tomorrow.

Ikuko very calmly and quietly asked her daughter if Darien was waiting for her outside. Just like the mother thought, he was. She then told Serena that the both of them were to stay the night in the house, even going as far as to say that Darien could sleep in Serena's room. Just as long as they stayed in the house and she knew where they were in the morning some sliver of sanity would return to her. Serena didn't look as if she wanted to agree, but the look on her mother's face left no room for argument. Ikuko thanked the heavens that her daughter had returned to her, but she had changed. Serena was once again different. There was a weariness in her eyes that wasn't suited for one so young. With a simple command to remain quiet so not to wake the rest of the family, Ikuko, left the room headed towards her own bed. She was relieved and exhausted, though sleep never did take her. At 7 in the morning without a wink of sleep, Ikuko was awake making breakfast, Ken was awake not an hour after, and 30 minutes after that so was Sammy. The news that Serena and Darien were home had surprised Ken and Sammy. Ken would have marched upstairs to wake the both of them up, but Ikuko intervened. At the time they had both gotten into the house and sleeping it was after 5, though she herself didn't have sleep she wasn't going to neglect it from the two young people upstairs. Around Eleven O'clock Ikuko could her movement upstairs, If she still knew her daughter, Ikuko swore it was Darien letting Serena sleep a little more. Sammy must have heard the light noise, too as he excused himself to leave the house, stating that he needed to see a friend. In that moment, Ikuko remembered that Sammy had a girlfriend. There was no issue, other than the fact that she was Hotaru Tomoe, and was missing along side Serena and the others. Sammy had been adamant that he hadn't known anything. Seeing no reason to let their son stay and witness what was going to happen they allowed Sammy to go. Ten minutes later Serena's blonde head stuck around the corner looking into the kitchen, no doubt Darien behind her.

Seeing her parents in the kitchen, Serena knew that it was now or never, and walked into the kitchen to await the jury's verdict. She held tight to Darien's hand. Ikuko had to hand it to her husband, though he was steaming mad he had calmly asked, both Serena and Darien to take a seat. To Ken's credit he didn't not immediately blow up at the two young people, instead calmly asking them both to sit down. That calmness didn't last for very long because when Ken demanded an explanation, and Serena refused to give one that's when the screaming match began. Ken screamed at his daughter who only screamed back, and honestly nothing was being accomplished in the least. Ikuko had to hand it to Darien it was a full 15 minutes of screaming before he could no longer take any more of the verbal abuse that Ken dished mostly onto him, but onto Serena as well. Ikuko had stepped in when the college student's knuckles turned white and his jaw clenched. Ikuko told both Serena and Darien that what her husband was trying to get them to understand was that they were worried and just because they were legal adults didn't mean that they could just up and leave when ever they wanted. Except Darien had calmly corrected her with this, because they were adults they could just up and leave when ever they wanted. Serena was no longer under any obligation other than respect to remain in tied to her family. In all honesty the words hurt Ikuko with how intelligent and well thought out they sounded. As if he were talking down to a child, and scolding them. Ken was steaming mad. Serena added that if they had a problem with the time they had been gone or her continued relationship with Darien that she would be moving out that day, and never speak to her parents again. What other choice did the parents have? Against they're better judgement they were convinced to forgo the entire incident.

That was the last time anything strange happened to Serena, or the Tsukino family. A year later, Serena and Darien married. The only thing odd was that Serena had so many bridesmaids. Other than that life was happy again. Sammy had a long term girlfriend, Ken's job was doing amazing, and life was good. Serena almost seemed like Ikuko's daughter again. And like most horrible memories, Ikuko eventually forgot the oddness associated with Serena's life after her 2 year in middle school. She calked it all up to being puberty, and Serena going through a rebellious stage. Ikuko's mind rebelling against any idea that something...Well, _supernatural_ had happened in her daughter's was until she woke up, and everything around her had changed.

The house, while still livable, was covered in years worth of dust and plant over growth. The yard looked as if the property belonged to no one, and in the distance. Ikuko could barely see it as Sammy pointed it out to her. A tall crystal looking structure sitting there as if it had always been. Ikuko got a strange feeling in her gut. Things were never going to be the same for her family again.

* * *

 **Final word count: 4,338**

 **Don't forget to follow/favorite/Review**

 **Feedback gets me going on chapters and I'm more likely to continue this if I have some. Not really a threat but this is a pet project that I will work on when I'm in the mood to. A good mood fixer is reviews. I read them to get rid of laziness, and writers block. I loved this idea which is why I'm posting it because my fanfic ideas rarely end up on here.**

 **Thank you for reading The Queen's Mother: The Story of Ikuko Tsukino.**

 **Love,**

 **~Miyu K.**


	2. Rip Van Winkle

**A/N: I ended up getting feed back four hours after posting the story, so I'm glad that there is someone out there enjoying it. This chapter of The Queen's Mother takes place the night the Great Sleep(What happened in place of the 2nd Ice Age) took place, and the morning everyone woke up. Ikuko plays all of it over in her mind while the events of waking up are taking place. The Night it happened will be** _ITALICIZED_ **and the morning waking up will be in** REGULAR TEXT _._ **Also sorry, but I ship SenshiXShittennou, and love the Generals so they'll be hints, but nothing more. So Kunzite, Nephrite, Zoicite, and Jadeite will be in this story. Honestly, There will be no pairings in this story, other than a few hints and allusions. Nothing major. Like I said this story isn't about anybody but Mama-Ikuko. Because of that nothing but subtle hints will be including so if you ship, SailorXSailor, or if you ship SailorXStarlight that's awesome so do I, but you don't have to worry about NOTP being all up in your face, it's mostly going to ambiguous except for about two pairings, That is Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, and a Saturn and Sammy relationship I brushed upon in the first chapter. Those Relationships as well as, Ikuko's marriage are going to play important parts in the story.**

* * *

 _The Queen's Mother: The Story of Ikuko Tsukino_

 _Chapter 2: Rip Van Winkle_

 ** _"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."_**

 ** _~Maya Angelou(R.I.P May 28, 2014)_**

Ikuko Tsukino woke up coughing. The air around her was stale, and tasted of dust. Sitting up in her bed, Ikuko placed her hand upon her head. Her head hurt as if she had slept for far too long. In all honesty she hadn't remembered falling asleep. Looking to her side she found her husband Ken fast asleep...Above the cover and sheets? Ikuko then noticed she had too fallen asleep without covering herself. Some people feel asleep like that, but not Ikuko nor her husband Ken. Getting up and looking around she noticed that the curtains on the wall looked weary and sun stained. As if they had been hanging there for years, when she had only bought those curtains a month ago. The sunlight spilled slightly through them revealing to Ikuko the state of her room. Everything covered in a years worth of dust. Stepping down onto the carpet, a small cloud of dust relieved itself from the floor. _Dust? In her house?_ Ikuko knew that wasn't a possibility, she cleaned daily. She was as stay-at-home mother, whom happened to find cleaning quite calming and did it quite often. There was no way this much dust would ever accumulate in her place of living. Walking around Ikuko found her bedroom covered in spiderwebs. They were everywhere, like no one had been in the room in ages.

Yes, Ikuko Tsukino could honestly say something was wrong. This wasn't right. She tried to think back to before falling asleep only to get a searing head ache, and stopped herself. It was as if her mind wasn't ready for what ever her memories would reveal. Honestly scared, Ikuko woke her husband Ken. He got up rubbing the sleep out of his before murmuring, "Oh god my head." and sitting up.

"Ikuko, what's wrong?" He asked her immediately shaking the grogginess of sleep. Something in his wife's facial expression seemed to say that something was amiss.

"Everything's changed." She answered looking around. "I don't remember falling asleep... Do you?" Ken tried like Ikuko had earlier to remember the night before only to come up with the same consequences.

"No. I-" Before he could say anything else, his wife was out the door. She went to check on her son who she hoped was sleeping in his room just as she had been not even 10 minutes ago. Ikuko opened Sammy's room door to find the room in a state similar to her own, but empty. She almost panicked until she heard a cry of "Mom!" coming from downstairs. Quickly running down the stairs she found Sammy by the front door as if he had just walked back inside.

"Samuel, What's going on? I just woke up and everything is old, and covered in dust you were gone, and-"

"Mom, Calm down. I just woke up, too. Just a little bit before you did. Are you okay, where's dad?" He asked. Ikuko was impressed her 17 year old son displaying a sense of maturity she hadn't thought he could yet.

"I'm here." Ken walked down the stairs. "What's happened to the house?" Around them looked as if they were stuck in some home that hadn't been lived in for years. Something you would see in horror movies. It was odd how incredibly creepy their home of 20 plus years seemed without any maintenance.

You guys need to come see this." Grabbing his mother by the wrist Sammy lead her out the front door. The grass had grown long, and their house was covered in vines as if it had been a long time since anyone had lived in it. Sammy pointed far off into the distance toward the city. In the distance all the tall structures that were there originally could be seen, but there was an extra one. A tall pillar stood that looked to be made of some kind of crystal or glass. The sun light shined of it creating a prism of light, a rainbow beamed from the glorious structure.

That's when Ikuko Tsukino remembered it all.

* * *

 _"Serena is something wrong?" Ikuko asked her 20 year old daughter. Serena seemed off today. She had that look in her eye that made Ikuko worry. Like she wasn't saying something she should. "Serena?" She called again. The girl seemed to be in her own little world._

 _"Oh!" Serena snapped out of whatever daydream she had been lost in and turned her attention to her mother. "Sorry, mom. Did you need something?" She asked._

 _"Yes, I asked if there were anything wrong, Sweetie. You seem..." Ikuko searched for the right word . "A little melancholy today." Serena gave her mother a smile._

 _"I wouldn't call it that, mom. I'm just stressed out from work is all. I mean, I do deal with kids all day. Who would of thought me, a kindergarten teacher?" She joked._

 _"The same people who said that you would pass through High school, meatball." And with that insult Ikuko knew Sammy was officially home._

 _"What ever, you little spitball." Serena threw back. The now 17 year old Sammy opened his mouth to retort with something that would no doubt start a fight, but Ikuko intervened._

 _"Now, stop it. You two are much too old to still be fighting like this." Ikuko reprimanded. "How was Hotaru, Sammy?" It seemed Ikuko's question wasn't something that Sammy felt like discussing. His face fell into a scowl._

 _"She's fine, mom. Just had to say goodbye." Goodbye? Ikuko thought to herself. She would have asked exactly what Sammy meant, but the look on his face spoke enough. Ikuko dropped the subject._

 _Ken had come home not an hour later, and dinner was eaten in an awkward state. To Ikuko it seemed that her children were upset with each other. Occasionally in between Ken talking about his work day and Ikuko eating the dinner she made, she would look up and catch Sammy glaring rather harshly at his sister, who seemed to ignore him best she could. If Ken noticed the tense atmosphere, he didn't speak up about it leaving Ikuko to just watch and wonder if things would work out on their own._

 _It wasn't until Serena had practically begged to do the dishes did Ikuko become rather worried about her daughter's mental state. First it was the daydreaming, and now Serena wanted to do the dishes. Serena hated kitchen work of any kind. Red flags flew in Ikuko's head._

 _"Is there something wrong, Serena?" Ikuko asked again. "If I didn't know any better, I would think that you wanted to say something to me." Serena bit her lips at her mother's words._

 _"No. I'm fine. Nothing's wrong." Serena spoke as she finished the last dish. Ikuko gave her daughter a look, indicating that answer wasn't going to work anymore. Serena sighed. "I might have caused some issues between Sammy and Hotaru. He's pretty mad at me right now." Serena revealed truthfully."And I can't make it better."_

 _Ikuko placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I'm sure what ever happened Samuel will get over it. From what I could tell the relationship is still intact so whatever damage you caused can't possible be that bad. Go, and talk to him. Tell him your sorry. He can't stay mad at you forever."_

 _Serena nodded before smiling at her mom, and giving her hug, "Thanks, mom. For everything, really." Serena then ran up the stairs most likely going to talk to her brother. Ikuko smiled after her._

 _Ikuko kept an ear out, listening to make sure her children didn't begin fighting, everything sounded fine before Serena came speeding out of Sammy's room heading to the door._

 _"Serena?" Ken called out "Leaving so soon?" He said, hoping she would stay a few more hours._

 _Serena shook her head. "Sorry Dad, Darien and I are going out tonight with the rest of the gang. I've got to get going." Serena spared a glance up towards Sammy's room. He didn't come back downstairs. "I'll see you later." She promised. "Goodbye." She hugged her father, before saying goodbye to Ikuko and heading out the door. It slammed behind her making the room ring with something that Ikuko couldn't place. The air didn't feel right as Serena left. It was a feeling that Ikuko had had before. It's the one Ikuko had gotten when Serena had walked out the door to graduate High school, and the same one from when Serena had gotten married. It was odd considering that she'd see her daughter tomorrow._

 _Sammy walked downstairs, face turned up in a scowl. "Serena gone?" he asked._

 _Ikuko studied her soon intently. "Yes," She nodded. "I'm guessing you two didn't patch things up."_

 _Sammy scoffed, "Somethings we did, other things we didn't. It doesn't matter." He left it at that. Leaving a confused Ken and Ikuko to only stare at his retreating form heading to the kitchen most likely to get a snack.  
_

 _"What's going on between those two?" Ken asked._

 _Ikuko sighed, "You're oblivious. They weren't on good terms during dinner, or did you not notice?" Ken only stared at his wife confused. "I thought I knew what was going on, but I don't even know half of it." She said mostly to herself._

 _"They'll work things through." Ken said confidently. "They always do." Ikuko nodded. Yes, she knew they would work things out._

 _Ikuko looked at the clock. It was 9:15. She supposed she could watch television with Ken for an hour before heading to bed, but Ikuko never got the chance. A weight heavy on her lungs suddenly made her fall to her knees. She thought she was the only one feeling it until Ken also started clutching his throat trying to grasp for the oxygen that wasn't reaching his lungs. A crash could be heard in the kitchen._

 _"Sammy!" Ikuko tried to stand, but Ken beat her to it._

 _"I'll check on him. Serena's still in the streets! She couldn't have gotten far." He told her struggling to get up. Ikuko used all of her strength to make it to the door. She heard another crash. She didn't bother to look, Ken never made it to the Kitchen. She couldn't stand any longer as she reached for the door and crawled out the house. She knew there was no way she couldn't make it down the stairs. Tears were streaming down her face. She need to make sure that Serena was safe, but she could no longer could listen. She could listen to the chaos she heard. The screams and cries of confusion and fear. She couldn't see it, but Ikuko could hear it even from where she lay. Ikuko's eyelids grew heavy. Once they shut Ikuko was sure that they wouldn't open again. She peered out into the street one final time, hoping-praying that maybe whatever going on that she'd see Serena one final time. That Serena would be struggling to make it back home, like her mother was struggling to get to her, however praying doesn't guarantee results._

 _Right before her eyes shut, Ikuko swear she saw it. No not an it, them. A woman hair so long it cascaded to the ground, and next to her a man in a light lavender suit. A crown sparkled under the moonlight on top the the woman's head. A queen? Ikuko's time ran out, ending her thoughts as The Great Sleep took her._

* * *

Yes, Ikuko remembered now. Something must have happened to everyone that night. Her neighbors too, walked out into their yards, lost for words, and everyone stared at the same place. The new crystal structure that stood tall and proud. There was an odd, calming silence to the world. No one spoke, but Sammy ran.

"What?! Samuel, Come back!" Ikuko screamed after her son.

"Sorry, Mom!" He yelled back. "Something's going on and that crystal structure has something to do with it! Stay here, I'll be back soon." He promised, but Ikuko wasn't having it. Ikuko didn't know what had happened. A mass unconsciousness had just struck and she wasn't going to let her son out of her sight. She ran after him not caring that she didn't have shoes on her feet. Sammy was younger and much more athletic then his mother, but she pushed herself, and oddly found that she could almost keep up with him. Ikuko had been athletic in school, but it had been years, there was no way she was this fast. Sammy wasn't holding back either, he ran at full speed towards the crystal tower, never stopping.

The streets and other building were in a state similar to her own home, the concrete was cracking as weeds were pulling through, it looked as if they had succeeded as you could see more plant life than asphalt in the city. Oddly, enough there were other walking towards the direction of the crystal tower as if something was pulling mankind towards it. Finally, they had reached the crystal tower to find that it wasn't just a tower at all, but a complete building. A palace. It was huge, bigger then even the malls in the area. It looked brand new. The road in front of the palace was paved not a hint of aging in it at all. A crystal fountain stood in what looked to be the courtyard entrance pouring clean water as if someone had been maintaining it while everyone was a sleep, and In the sunlight the Crystal palace shined brightly, beautifully, all most natural looking. The only odd thing that about the structure then it's sudden appearance was the fact that the courtyard entrance had no door to speak of. It was built as if a door should have been placed there only for it not to exist.

"This is..." Sammy trailed off. Ikuko couldn't blame him. The sight was almost overwhelming.

"Ikuko!" A voice called out. Ikuko turned to fine her husband, Ken walking towards them. "You both left in such a hurry you forgot these." In Ken's hands were shoes for his wife and son.

"Thank you." Ikuko grabbed the shoes and put them on as Sammy took a hold of his.

As it seems, Sammy was not the only one who had the idea to come check out the mysterious crystal palace, as the area in front of the palace began to fill a multitude of people. Soon there were too many to count. Everyone confused, whispering to each other and wondering. Not one had an idea what was happening. Some claimed the rapture happened, and others saying that it was a sign of the end times, but Ikuko didn't listen. Something else was at foot here. Something harder to explain.

As if someone had heard all the questions, A door suddenly shimmered into view. The door was huge with an elaborate pattern carved onto it, and as it opened the crowd suddenly grew quiet. No one knew what was in the giant palace before them, it could be anything. Some whispered of a monster that had taken over the city. Others said a savior that had come to rapture them, but instead of all of that out stepped from the door was a young girl, clad in a purple sailor fuku. Her dark hair was in a short bob and in her hand was some sort of weapon taller than her, but it's blade shun bright in the sunlight. In Ikuko's mind, she almost thought she knew the girl, but as soon as the thought came it quickly vanished from her mind. She did not know her.

"It's Sailor Saturn." Sammy whispered so quietly that Ikuko barely heard him. Ikuko turned and gave him a questioning look. "She's not one of the main five." He answered his mother's unspoken question. "It's usually bad news if the public ever sees her. It means that final battle between the Scouts and whatever evil is about to happen. Though I don't know why she's here, no attacks have been in the papers lately." Ikuko nodded and looked towards the Sailor Scout as she began to speak.

"I understand that all of you are very confused." She started. Now that Ikuko heard her speak she realized the girl was very young. Most likely younger than her own son. "But by their names, King Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity have kindly asked that you leave the premises immediately. All questions and concerns will be dealt with at a later date." She announced her voice far louder than her size or age should have allowed.

There was an immediate silence following the Scouts words it was as if everyone was in a state of shock. No one knew what to say to contest the girl in front of them, and those who know of her powers as scout were too fearful to even think of anything to say against her, but one man finally did. To Ikuko he looked to be a few years younger than herself. A man about in his mid to late forties gained the courage to speak to the Sailor Scout who guarded the palace in front of them.

"You expect all of us to just go home after everything that we have witnessed?" He asked outraged in a loud voice to Sailor Saturn. "We all woke up, at the same time, to find the world different than how we left it. And you want us to go just go home?" Ikuko didn't like the tone the man had. He was frantic, arms waving about as he spoke. With each word the crowd waited on baited breathe rising in tension with each word he spoke. Ikuko grabbed a hold of Sammy.

 _This is going to turn into a riot_ , she thought to herself. In her youth, she had seen and even participated in a few. She knew the beginnings of one. The look of the crowd before the first stone was cast. The atmosphere that held everyone in a trance waiting for someone to make the first move.

"You are only a child, and you expect us to listen to this nonsense. You know what's going on, and you will tell us!" The man's closing's words created just the rise in the crowd that Ikuko had scene coming. Shouts of agreement rang through at the crowd, and soon they turned their attention to the young girl at the entrance of the Palace. Shouts and cries demanding knowledge rang to her with a roar, but the Sailor scout didn't even blink. In fact, Sailor Saturn looked particularly bored with the whole situation, as if it were under her station to deal with such trivial things.

"This is your last chance." Sailor Saturn warned. "Return to your homes, or I will use force." This only seemed to make the large crowd angrier. The shouts grew louder than before if possible, and now some marched towards the entrance of the crystal palace. As if the anger had made the fear and astonishment for the palace vanish.

"We should go." Ken said. Ikuko nodded next to him, but Sammy shook his head.

"I'm not leaving." He told them defiance in his eyes, "Go if you're scared, but someone has to watch out for Sailor Saturn. I don't want this crowd to force her into anything."

"Sammy, we should go." Ikuko begged. "She's a Sailor scout. I'm sure she can handle herself. You don't need to worry about her." Ikuko said, but honestly she worried for the girl. She was so young. Much younger than the other scouts, call it motherly instincts, but Ikuko was frightened for the girl. She wanted to stay really, but she had Sammy to worry about.

"I told you, If you're scared, go, but I'm staying." Sammy said her turned back to watching Sailor Saturn intently. Ken sighed beside Ikuko, he knew that there was no chance of them leaving without their son, but Sammy was adamant. And the reporter in Ken wanted to sit this one through, as well. He looked toward his wife, who nodded her head. It was official they were staying.

As the crowd got closer to the entrance of the Palace, Ikuko could see the growth in impatience with the scout. Harsh words, slurs, and swears were being thrown at her. How she had lasted this long with this many people astounded Ikuko, but she could tell her patience was wearing thin. That's when Ikuko saw it in the corner of her eye, one of the men grabbing a particularly large stone from the ground. It was large enough, that if thrown well and to the head, could easily kill a person. She could see the look in his eyes as he aimed it at the young Sailor Saturn. The crowd roars suddenly went silent to Ikuko, and from their everything began to move in slow motion. Like the slowed frames of a film, Ikuko saw the scene playing out before her. Ikuko paled at the thought of that large stone being cast at the girl. She paled even more at what the powerful young girl would do in retaliation to the rioting crowd. As the man leaned back prepping for his throw, Ikuko ran towards praying that she was fast enough to stop this madness before it truly began. She knew she wouldn't make it. Finally things in her mind's eye starting moving slightly faster and faster, and the noise of the crowd was starting to return to her, louder and louder. With a cry she continued towards the man, her's the loudest out of any one in the crowd as the man motioned to throw, and that's when everything stopped.

The crowd's motion stopped. The noise stopped, it was as if everything had froze in time, but that wasn't the case. Everyone had stopped of their own accorded as if sensing that something was happening in the middle of the crowd all eyes turned there to find the man now being held back by another man in what looked to be a militaristic uniform. He had short blonde hair, and his blue eyes showed a distinct annoyance at the current situation at hand. He seemed to have finally noticed that all of the crowds attention was on him, and finally spoke.

"Threatening those who work directly for the King and Queen would not be wise." The general twisted the man's captive arm forcing him to release the large stone.

"What are you doing here, General?" Sailor Saturn asked. "I don't believe I asked for your assistance."

The general smirked at the sailor soldier, "How cold you are, Dear Saturn. I only came out at insistence of our comrades. Besides, _they're_ watching, as well." He inclined his head towards the crystal Palace, but up towards the tower that glistened in the sunlight. Saturn looked toward it as well, but whatever those two could see remained hidden to the common people on the ground. "Perhaps sending our least threatening looking person was not such a good plan, after all." He said with a teasing smirk.

Sailor Saturn seemed to take this comment with some offense because her face turned red at the general's words in anger before turning around, "Fine, you take care of this then. I'm going back inside." Sailor Saturn walked through the large doors, and as they shut they disappeared from view.

The general shrugged before turning his attention back to the man in his grasp, "I suggest you think before you cast stones. This isn't biblical times, You barbarian." He pushed the man away from him and then began addressing everyone in the crowd. "You will find I am not as nice as Sailor Saturn. While her threats were idle, mine are not. You have five minutes to vacate the premises. If not.." He let his threat hang there as he turned his head toward the part of the crowd where Ikuko and her family stood. Suddenly a giant force ripped through the crowd almost knocking down the Tsukino family and all those around them and heading back towards the group of trees behind them. One tree literally exploded in front of them and two others fell shaking the ground with large sonic boom that made Ikuko's ears ring.

"I have the worst temper of anyone in that palace. So, I pray you heed my warning." These were the general's last words before he faded out of view with a shimmer. The crowd quickly dissipated after that, practically running away from the palace. Ikuko and Ken turned to go only to find Sammy holding his hand to head as if in pain.

"Sammy?" Ikuko called worried. "Are you alright?" He didn't answer he only stared up at the Crystal Tower. "Samuel!"

"You don't see them?" He asked suddenly.

"See who, Samuel? You're scaring me." Ikuko told her son.

"The king and queen, You don't see them." He pointed up towards the tower, but Ikuko nor Ken could see anything.

"Sammy, the crystal to dense to see through." Ken told his son. "You can't see through it."

"But-"

"We need to go, before we anger who ever lives in that palace." Ken said leaving little room for argument. Sammy snapped his mouth shut taking one final look at the crystal palace before following his parents away from it.

The walk home had been almost in complete silence, till it hit Ikuko.

 _Serena._

"Oh god." She stopped dead in her tracks. "Sammy, Ken. Did either of you see Serena or Darien in the crowd just now?" She asked.

Sammy shock his head. His father replied, "no".

"Practically the whole town was there. If she woke up like the rest of us she would have been there!" Ikuko said. Sammy bit his lip.

"We could try her apartment. We could have easily missed them with how big the crowd is if we head there now, we should see them there." Ikuko nodded and followed her husband down the street, past their home to the place her daughter had been living for years now. The same apartment complex that Darien had always lived in was now shared between him and his wife, The Tsukino's got to the apartment, they found the door oddly unlocked. Opening they found nothing amiss expect for that fact that neither Serena or Darien were there. Ikuko got that same feeling in her stomach from when Serena had disappeared when she was 18.

Ikuko got the feeling that Serena was gone again.

Ken tried to say that maybe they had beaten Darien and Serena home from the palace, but in her gut Ikuko knew they hadn't. Serena and Darien were never coming back to this apartment. Still, Ken, Ikuko, and Sammy waited for hours hoping that they would return home soon. After four hours, Ken said that maybe they were checking on their friends and would contact them at home later. Sammy nodded agreeing with his father's statement promising his mother that Serena was to tenacious to let something happen to her, and Darien was far too smart to let anything happen to either of them. Sammy said that Serena would probably call them soon. She always felt the need to check on everyone else first, he reasoned. Though that ill feeling never left Ikuko.

Serena Tsukino was gone for good this time. Ikuko could feel it, but she refused to accept it.

So she waited up all night, in denial of her own feelings, hoping that just like the time when she was 18 she would return home far too late at night, that it was practically morning. Ken, too waited up with his wife hoping that his daughter and even her husband would coming bursting through the door any moment. However, it wouldn't come to be.

Sammy ,however, took advantage of his parents distracted and quickly snuck out of the house with incredible ease. He walked the moonlit night slowly as he made his way back to the crystal palace. He wasn't surprised when he walked up towards the entrance and the grand door shimmered into view for him, and the doors opened. He quickly stepped inside letting the overly large doors shut behind him as he was greeted by the same General who had nearly thrown him down telekinetically earlier. Before all of this started Sammy knew the man as Takashi Sato, the son of a business man, who happened to be close friends with a local politician's daughter by the name of Raye Hino. But he no longer can go by that name. None of the people Sammy was about to meet could ever go back to their old identities and lives. Now, that man goes by Jadeite, a general under King Endymion.

"Welcome Back, Sammy." Jadeite greeted.

"It's good to be back." Sammy responded. He walked down the hall toward the throne room, Jadeite guiding him. In the throne room stood 12 people he knew hadn't seen him in a very long time, but to himself he had seen them only yesterday. One in particular he was happy to see, but a reunion would take place later on, right now Sammy had to address the silvered haired queen that sat on the throne looking at him with curious eyes.

"It's been far too long, Samuel." She spoke. Sammy noticed how formal her tone had gotten. She didn't even sound like the person he knew.

"Hello...Serena." At the use of her old name the Queen smiled.

A new age had begun.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Final word Count: 3,024 ( I told you guys these chapters weren't going to be very long.)**

 **Now, This is coming out a lot faster than I original assumed. I told you guys I would produce faster work the more feedback I got. A little less than a month is pretty good. And I wasn't even forcing myself to type this. I wrote when I felt like writing and this will continue for the rest of the story. Chapters will probably not be coming out this quickly as I am starting college in about two weeks. I'll write when I can. I promise.**

 **Sorry for any mistakes. I'm my own beta, and I'm not perfect.**

 **Anyway, how did you guys like the second chapter of The Queen's Mother? Personally I had fun writing this chapter, I had fun writing back when I wrote it two years ago so I'm not surprised. I hope you guys like it as much as I do. Plus, I'm sorry about the no dialogue in the first chapter. It felt right when I really got down to it.**

 **I hope the the whole General thing doesn't turn you off. I found there potential to great for them just to be forgotten about. I had to use them. As the story goes on, the more we unravel. We haven't even hit how Queen Serenity is going to become ruler of the earth, the politics to that will show up, as well.**

 **So please don't forget to Favorite/Follow/Review. It makes me work faster because you guys help feed my muse( not that i'm going to stop writing. I just motivates me)**

 **Thank you for reading the second chapter of The Queen's Mother!**

 **~Miyu k. August 7, 2015**


	3. Catch-22

_The Queen's Mother: The Story of Ikuko Tsukino_

 _Chapter 3: Catch-22_

 _"Mankind is resilient: the atrocities that horrified us a week ago become acceptable tomorrow."_

 _~Joseph Heller_

Sammy stood in the Crystal Palace in front of its queen, who was once his sister. He stared at her, his eyes unwavering. He could barely believe that the person who sat in front of him was once his goofy, older sister. She sat with a regalness he never thought possible for her. He would take the time to deal with how his beloved sister changed later. Now, he had to stand strong and show how much he had changed, too.

"Serenity, Please. I'm sure we can make an exception." It was Sailor Neptune who spoke. Asking the queen for something she couldn't give.

"Neptune, you know the law, and so did Saturn when she warned Samuel about The Great Sleep. Not only did she break the oath associated with her powers, but she broke a divine law. There must be punishment." Neo Queen Serenity declared. Beside her, the king nodded in agreement.

"As much as we would like to make an exception for him, this is above our jurisdiction. This law is not our own, but one given to us by the gods. Therefore, justice must be dealt." King Endymion spoke.

"Then let me take his punishment!" Sailor Saturn cried. "I was the one who broke the law, He should not have to pay for my mistake!" Saturn made a valid point.

The Queen tilted her head to the side, thinking for a moment. "I agree." She said finally, "However, as Endymion said, This is not our jurisdiction. Saturn, you already received punishment during our years in Elysian." She waved her hand at Sailor Jupiter who brought forth a large silver mirror. "The Gods decreed that no normal human can have foreknowledge of The Great Sleep. Both the person who gave this knowledge and the person who received it would be punished by the gods themselves. Pray, that they are feeling merciful." Neo Queen Serenity paused and looked at her brother intently, "Are you prepared, Sammy. Any decree that the gods give, even I, with all my power, can not stop. This includes death. So, I ask again, Are you ready?"

Sammy nodded, "As much as Hotaru thinks this is her fault, we share equal blame. What kind man would if I let the woman I love, take the punishment for something I did. Isn't that what you told me, Darien, A long time ago?" The king smiled at the young man. It was the same thing that he had told him back when Serena had graduated high school.

The Silver mirror was placed in front of Sammy and in it, he saw his reflection change from a picture of himself to another person. This person, Sammy did not know. His face was shadowed, and his clothes old. It was armor as if worn a Grecian warrior.

"I am the God of War, Aries. I am the one who will be dealing out punishment to the guilty." The Mirror's image announced. "I am to assume that this is the boy who had foreknowledge of The Great Sleep." He stared at Sammy evenly, "So you are the biological brother of Serenity's reincarnation. Maybe choosing this family was the right decision, after all. Nothing, but fate has brought you here, boy. Though this is a punishment, I see no reason why we can't use it to bring about some good." Aries spoke. "There will be more wars in the future. I can see them clearly, now." There was a longing sigh. "You will be the first of many. Earth needs new warriors, ones that bear the powers of the olden days. You will start a line of fine warriors, boy." The god gave Sammy a feral grin.

"This is your punishment, Tsukino Samuel. You will live, serve, and die for the crown eternally." Aries said. If the others in the room were surprised by the decree they didn't show it. Only Sailor Saturn moved to protest the gods words, but a quick hand on her shoulder from Sailor Uranus stopped her. She stood still, reminded of her place. "You will live in the protection of the crown. You will die in protection of the crown, and you will serve eternally. You will bare a line of warriors for the crown. All who share your name will serve to protect the crown of King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity. Whether they be son or daughter, they will all be warriors for the Crystal Millennium." Samuel must have looked scared or shocked because the god laughed at his expression.

"What is the matter, my boy? Is this not what you wanted? You craved knowledge not meant for a normal man, and now I will make you something extraordinary. I will bless you with gifts fit for the finest of warriors, and you will train these gifts to be of use. Because you will fulfill this punishment. You can not serve the crown as the useless thing you are now. Consider yourself lucky, my boy. The gods have decided to spare you. This doesn't happen often, be thankful." Aries told Sammy.

"My time visiting this plane is done. Justice has been brought and the verdict given." Aries nodded his head towards the Queen and King. "Until next time, Daughter of Selene and Son of Gaia." As the god came so did he vanish and the reflection in the mirror turned back into that of Sammy Tsukino.

As soon as the god was gone everyone let out an audible sigh and relaxed. Sammy blinked, The people in the room who stood up so straight and acted so formally were now slouching, and giggling nervously. The Queen herself slumped in her throne and wiped the none existent sweat off her forehead. The king turned to his wife, glaring at her.

"What the hell, Serena? Aries? Could you not have picked a more temperamental god. What if Sammy offended him and he picked death as his punishment!?" The king yelled at his wife.

"I had to think of someone who favored us. He should adore after all the wars we've fought. And he does. Athena would have never gone for it, neither would have Artemis. I had to find one that would prefer to make Sammy a warrior than just kill him for such a petty crime. Aries was the only one willing to bend the rules just for the sake of a good war fought." This once regal queen now resembled Sammy's sister. She was huffing and crossed her arms over her chest defending her decisions. "I did what I had to."

"Serenity-"

"She's right, My Lord." It was Kunzite, the head general who spoke. "She obviously planned this out with the best outcome. I would like to know how she got the god of war to agree to such a stipulation in the first place. Rumor has it, he isn't one easily appeased."

Neo-Queen Serenity gave a smile that Sammy recognized as the one his sister always wore when she was extremely proud of herself.

"It was my idea, yes, but without Mars and Venus I doubt that it would have gone that smoothly." she turned to her guardians, "Thank you, both." They both nodded at their queen as she turned back to her brother.

"Oh Sammy, I hate to have to drag you into this life, but it was the only option. Now, I have a favor, as a sister, to ask of you." She spoke the words though the mannerisms read like Serena, something in her voice seemed much older that it rubbed Sammy the wrong way.

"What?" Sammy asked.

"Promise me that you'll never tell mom, dad or anyone about what really happened to Serena Tsukino."

* * *

In the days that followed The Awakening, Ikuko Tsukino frantically began searching for her missing daughter and son-in-law. She made as many calls as she could, stopped where she could, and asked who she could. Every had the same answer for the concerned mother. No one knew where they were.

The first place Ikuko checked was the Hikawa Shrine.

The only person Ikuko could find there was Chad, the young man who had taken up working at the temple back when Serena and the girls were only in middle school. He was just as helpless as Ikuko was herself, if not more so. Not only was Raye gone as well, but her grandfather had disappeared, as well. Apparently, before the newly dubbed, Great Sleep took place both were at the temple. Chad awoke only to find that both of them were now gone. Ikuko nodded understanding that Chad could in no way help and moved on.

Dr. Mizuno offered a similar story except that she was working when The Great Sleep took place. Right before she fell into its deep slumber she had been on the phone with her daughter, Amy. Amy told her that she was going out with the rest of the girls that night and that she promised to see her again soon. Dr. Mizuno was more distraught then Ikuko. She hadn't been to work in days waiting at home, hoping her daughter would eventually come back.

Mina's parents were in a similar state to Ikuko and Ken. Mina wasn't even in Japan when The Great Sleep happened. They hadn't been able to contact her, or her boyfriend, who she had been living with. Mina's father had already booked a flight when the airports opened back up to head to London to find the girl. Ikuko and Ken didn't bother with Lita, she had quit her former job. She had no family to speak and the only tie, a boyfriend whom Ikuko had only meet in passing and didn't even know his name. The only way to find her was to track down one of the other girls. Ikuko also couldn't get in touch with Amara Tenou, nor Michelle Kaiou, or Hotaru Tomoe.

It was official. All the girl's and their closest friends had disappeared again. This time, the parents immediately got together when they were sure they were missing. The signs were almost identical to the last time this happened, and this time, the parents went immediately to someone they knew must have answers for them.

As if to taunt them Andrew Furuhata had no answers for any of the parents. He couldn't even tell them as much as he could last time, and the parents resigned themselves to the fact that they were trapped waiting at home for their children again.

So Ikuko Tsukino waited. As she waited she watched. The world around her was changing. It had already changed so much. The people around were almost kinder to one another helping each other out. Neighbors helping fix neighbor's homes. The whole community had gotten together to help fix the shopping district. Ikuko, however, sat home. She couldn't get herself to move from her home. She had to wait for her daughter. She had to wait for Serena to return.

Two weeks after The Awakening most electronics had come back online. The week after that most shops had opened back up and homes and streets were fixed. On the fourth week, the news spoke about news from scientists worldwide. They had finally been able to get a carbon date for to how long everyone had been asleep. The answer shocked the world.

856 years

When the news spoke the large number both Ken and Ikuko froze over their breakfast. To sleep that long... Ikuko couldn't even fathom how or what could have caused that to happen. She could barely fathom that they had all slept for so long. To her right, Sammy eats his toast, not looking surprised by the number of years at all. It was then announced that the hole in the O-zone had miraculously disappeared, and endangered species of animals were now thriving like they had from a time long before Ikuko or Ken were even born. Oil and Helium were no longer slowly diminishing. It was as if the world was new again. Ikuko wondered if what she saw when she woke up was similar to what Adam and Eve saw when they first opened their eyes, as well.

The world and how it changed around her was not the only thing Ikuko Tsukino noticed. Her son, Sammy was changing right before her eyes, as well. Schools had opened back up and Sammy was attending his junior year. Ikuko hated to say it, but she was being more strict with Sammy's whereabouts than she ever was with Serena. Who could blame her? She didn't want another child running off. Waiting to see if Serena would return meant that Ikuko focused more energy on her son. So, she began noticing inconsistencies within his schedule.

Sammy took cram school classes after school. and was usually out by 4:30 in the evening. He would then ask if he could spend time with friends around the city. Ikuko didn't object, it was just that every time Sammy came home now about 8:30 in the night He would smell as if he just had a showered. Ken never noticed. Ikuko always had a stronger nose than he did. It struck Ikuko as odd. Fearing that Sammy was going to follow his sister's path. Ikuko started watching him late to see if he was sneaking out, and as it turns out he was. Sammy had thrown on a black hoodie and sweatpants and walked out the front door around 2 in the morning. Ikuko had decided the smart choice would be to follow her son, and see exactly what he was doing.

She stayed far enough behind him that he wouldn't notice her, but after about ten minutes of walking, Ikuko figured out where he was heading. The home of his missing girlfriend, Hotaru Tomoe. In the front yard was a large cherry blossom tree with a swing attached to it. It was a place Ikuko knew was dear to both Sammy and Hotaru. She watched as Sammy swung to a nonexistent beat looking up to the sky. She had almost forgotten while Sammy had lost his sister, he lost someone else he loved dearly, as well. Ikuko decided not to bother the boy after that. Punishing him would do nothing. It would be wrong of Ikuko to even bring it up. Ikuko walked back to the house, got on the bed and tried her best to go to sleep. Like the past 4 weeks, it did not come with ease.

Early the next morning, A woman and a man walked to the local Tokyo news station. They looked far younger than two actually were, and were dressed in odd clothing. The woman had black hair, far too long to be normal in a double odango pigtail style. The man's white hair almost rivaled the woman's in length, and he was dressed in sharp white attire. At the door, they were stopped by the security.

"What's your business here?" The guard asked. He held an arm up stopping the man and woman from entering the building. The woman gave him a sweet smile before curtsying deeply, and introducing herself.

"I am Luna, royal advisor to Neo-Queen Serenity, the queen of The Crystal Palace, and this Artemis, Royal advisor to King Endymion. Their Majesties feel that it is time for the public to finally learn the truth. May we come in?" Luna asked.

Artemis stifled a laugh as he had never seen a person fumble for their walkie-talkie like the man did before him.

* * *

That morning Ikuko turned on the news to find the newscasters practically frantic.

 _"You heard it here first, folks!"_ The female newscaster exclaimed. _"Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion, the royal living in The crystal palace will be holding a Q and A session tonight at 7 p.m! We have the king and queen's royal advisors, Luna and Artemis here with more details."_ The camera turned to a woman and a man sitting calmly next to one another. Ikuko took notice to the odd golden crescent moon shape on the woman's forehead. How odd? Ikuko couldn't have sworn she saw that same type of birthmark on Serena's cat's head. She hadn't really seen the cat in years. Serena had taken it with her when she moved in with Darien. Even more peculiar, Ikuko was almost positive the cat's name was also Luna. She brushed it off as only a coincidence, as that had to be the only answer. Still, Ikuko found herself thinking about far harder than she thought she should.

 _"Yes, tonight at 7 King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity will be answering questions about things many if not all people have been wondering about. This includes the circumstances as to why The Great Sleep happened among other things."_ Luna said.

 _"I highly recommend you come if you have a question."_ The other advisor, Artemis spoke. _"The Queen and King have a vast knowledge about many things, you never know what answers they may know. Even if it seems like something they wouldn't know, I would certainly take the chance to ask."_ Next to him Luna nodded her head.

 _"Well, I certainly wouldn't want to miss this chance! Thank you, Luna and Artemis."_ The Newscaster addressed the camera. _"We'll be back after these short messages."_ And the show changed to commercials.

Ikuko grabbed the remote of the Kitchen counter and turned off the Television. So, the people in the palace finally decided to show their faces? Ikuko thought back to that horrifying incident right after The Awakening. That General, the one who threatened them, and the sailor scouts. Ikuko wondered what they had to with whoever was in that palace. She knew, however, that question would be answered tonight. The Sailor Scouts had always protected the world from monsters that threatened people. They were warriors for the people. Ikuko had been saved once and honestly, she wondered what kind of a person would make girls such as the one she saw a few weeks ago fight for their lives like they did before the Great Sleep. Years ago, that Sailor moon couldn't have been older than what her Serena had been. It made her wonder what exactly the queen knew. If the Sailor scouts were working for the queen now it was safe to assume that they were working for her back then as well. So it had to have been the queen that ordered the scouts to protect the world.

If Ikuko remembered anything from history it was that all most all people in the position of power were corrupt in some way. When you have that much power, rules and laws were broken to protect that power. The new Queen and King worried Ikuko. She wondered what they wanted in return for protecting the earth all of those years.

Ikuko found herself grabbing the remote and rewinding it back to the two advisors, and paused it.

It would seem that these royals held answers to the Great sleep, and in the mystery of the Great Sleep was answers as to what exactly happened to her daughter. Ikuko then decided that this chance was far too valuable to pass up. If the queen knew many things like the advisors hinted at, then the queen must have some knowledge about what exactly happened to those who went missing during the Great Sleep. Ikuko pulled out a pen and paper and wrote the information about the interview before she could forget

 _7 tonight at the Crystal Palace._

Ikuko was going to make sure that she was going to be there.

Before Ikuko could even think of anything else the phone rang. Running to pick it up she noticed the number was one she didn't see very often. Sammy's high school.

"Hello? This Ikuko Tsukino." She answered.

 _"Ah yes, good morning Mrs. Tsukino."_ Said the person on the other line. Ikuko recognized the voice belonging to the school's secretary. She was a very nice woman. One who had been working at the school since Serena had gone there.

"Good morning." Ikuko returned. She frowned wondering what exactly they were calling for.

 _"Sorry to disturb you, but we wanted to inquire if Samuel was ill. He hasn't been to any of his class the last two days."_ Ikuko almost dropped the phone this was news to her. She had seen Sammy leave for school not even an hour ago. She had also seen him leave for school yesterday.

It wasn't at all like Samuel to skip.

First sneaking out and now this. Ikuko wasn't pleased in the slightest with these new characteristics that her son has been displaying. She thought it was all about the fact that both his sister and his girlfriend went missing at the same time, but now Ikuko didn't know what to think.

"Ikuko? Honey?" It was Ken coming down the stairs, heading to work. He studied his wife for a moment before asking, "What's wrong?"

Ikuko bit her lip. She hadn't told Ken about Sammy sneaking out. Ken had been stressed out lately, and honestly, Ikuko didn't want to add to his worries. Still, Ikuko couldn't lie to him. With a sigh, she explained the situation.

Needless to say, Ken was not pleased with the news.

"He's been sneaking out, and now you tell me," Ken asked holding his head as if a migraine were about to strike him.

"I didn't want you to have to worry, with work starting back up and... Serena. The whole world is changing and you don't have the time to be worried about your son acting like a typical teenager." Ikuko explained. Yes, typical. Sammy probably made a bad choice in friends. Or maybe the stress of everything was making him act out. Ikuko knew in her mind that it had to be one of those, but really she didn't believe that.

"Come on, Ikuko. I know a lot is going on, but this is insane. You can't be serious."

"I am. Let me talk to him. I'll handle him when he comes home. Just leave it to me." Ikuko promised. Ken didn't look to happy but nodded. He grabbed a piece of toast from the toaster and headed to the door.

"Oh, Ikuko?" He called before leaving.

"Yes."

"Did anything interesting come on the news this morning?" It was a question Ken had asked every morning. The journalist in him wanted to know anything that he may have missed. The words came out of Ikuko's mouth before she could stop them.

"No, nothing at all."

* * *

Around 4 o'clock Ken called home and told Ikuko that he would be home later than usually. Ikuko knew what it was about, the press release. However, Ken didn't tell her that at all. He just said that he had some extra work that needed to be done, and would be home around 9:30/10:00. She wondered why exactly he felt the need to hide the information from her, but she quickly shooed the thought away. It was hypocritical of her to think that after what she had told him this morning.

Around 6, Ikuko worried as Sammy had still not come home. She worried that maybe he had run away, or was hurt somewhere in the streets. Not two minutes later did Sammy call the house and told his mother that he decided to stay for extra cram-school classes. Ikuko's anger rose silently as she listened to her son's lies.

"Just come home, Sammy. I need you here." She told him. Without hesitation Sammy, agreed to come home.

He was home in 20 minutes, far less time then Ikuko expected. And like before he smelled like he had just come out of a shower.

"Hey, mom. You made me miss extra lessons, what's wrong?" He came into the house at the sight of his mother sitting in the living quietly sipping tea.

"Have a seat, Samuel." She told him calmly. Ikuko could practically see the realization light up on Sammy's face, and she watched as it paled at the thought of punishment.

"You know about me cutting class." He said, not asked. Ikuko nodded and motioned for him to sit beside her. He quietly obeyed his mother, not wanting to increase his punishment by saying anything. Once he was seated, Ikuko put her the down and looked at her son seriously.

"Sammy, what is wrong with you? Skipping school, sneaking out at night, lying to me. I raised you better than that. You're lucky I convinced your father to let me handle this. Things are too new, the world is still so unknown and you have been running around, like none of that matters, like your parent's peace of mind doesn't matter. " She told him calmly. "You know work has been hard for your father lately. With finding new information about the Great Sleep day after day, and Serena and all her friends going missing I need you to be the one thing I don't have to worry about. Do you understand me?"

Sammy nodded, then responded. "Yes." He paused a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that I was worrying you so much. I thought if I stayed out of your way then…" He trailed off. The frown that Ikuko was wearing on her face fell with a sigh.

"Sammy, right now I need you to behave. I understand that you miss your sister and Hotaru, however, you can't act out. Not right now. If I didn't know any better I would say you were acting just like-" Ikuko caught her words. Samuel skipping school, and sneaking out late. It was all too familiar to be desired. She shook the thoughts out of her head. Sammy wouldn't-couldn't be acting just like Serena had. They never did anything alike, but looking at him now. Something about echoed his sister.

"Mom?" Sammy called. Ikuko hadn't realized she had taken too long of a pause.

"Sorry." She apologized. "I hate to say this Sammy, but you're grounded. Two weeks, If I catch you sneaking out again, or missing school It's going to be even longer." She expected the boy to moan about the length, or even look slightly upset, however, Sammy did not. It was as if he had been expecting punishment.

"Okay, mom. I guess that's fair. I'll go catch up on homework now if you don't mind." Ikuko nodded her approval and her eyes followed Sammy up the stairs. Sammy was rarely punished. Out of him and Serena, He was always the one Ikuko could trust to do the right thing, to act appropriately. It was Serena who acted out as a teenager, never Sammy. Though one time Sammy did something out of character. The one time Sammy did something out of the ordinary. When he went after Serena at the attack that had happened at her graduation. Sure he was worried about his sister, and it was a normal reaction to go back in after her, but just like now Ikuko got the feeling that Sammy wasn't being completely honest with her. That everything with her son, for once, was not completely black and white.

She didn't have time to investigate it further as she checked the time and it was now 6:30. She quickly wrote a note for Samuel, explaining that dinner was in the fridge, and she was off.

Unlike the last time she went to the Crystal Palace, Ikuko did not run, but the sense of urgency was far greater this time. It was as if the quiet, calm walk made her heart beat faster, and her blood run cold. However, in her heart, she knew the queen of that palace could give her the answers she needed. Yes, this urgency that she was feeling was anticipation for the knowledge about what happened to Serena. That's all she wanted right now. To know what happened to her, Ikuko couldn't ask for anything more.

Ikuko looked up and found herself standing in front of the magnificent Crystal Palace. The tall structure bounced prisms of color into the sky, creating rainbows in the twilight. Ikuko wondered who built such beautiful structure. It almost looked as if nature was it's constructor and not man. As if god himself placed the structure there at the beginning of time, and the humans had only begun to notice it now. Unlike before, the grand door of the palace was in place and wide open inviting any who wish entrance into its halls. Ikuko found the Crystal Palace far more beautiful on the inside than the out.

Bright white, like the full moon in the sky, was the interior looked. Normally white walls bother Ikuko, as they felt blank and impersonal, however, these walls were the pure white of a pearl and sparkled as if diamond dust had been sprinkled on them. The next color Ikuko noticed was red. Roses, they were everywhere in the hall leading to where Ikuko didn't know. Ikuko rarely had seen Roses so red in her life. Perfectly shaped, and bloomed. Yes, Ikuko could only think of once she had seen roses so perfect, the ones Darien had given for her last birthday looked exactly like this. They smelled the same, as well. The scent of roses was almost overpowering taking over the senses. Till this moment, Ikuko found that she had been neglecting thinking of her son-in-law. He was always so kind, so smart. He always looked at Serena like she was the only thing in his world. She felt bad for not thinking of him more. Ikuko could honestly say that it hurt her, deep in her chest that she didn't know anything about his well-being. She loved him, just like she loved her own children. She hoped he had known that.

Finally, Ikuko came to the end of the hallway into what she believed was the throne room. It had to have been the single biggest room Ikuko had ever seen in her entire life, She was awestruck by its gold coloring, and grandness that she didn't even see the person that she crashed into.

With a slight yelp, Ikuko was on the floor. Her purses contents spilled out everywhere. Ikuko hurried to grab everything when a green-gloved hand reached down and began doing it for her.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss." She apologized. Ikuko looked up at realized she was staring straight into the face of a Sailor Scout. Her brown hair was up in a high ponytail, it's curly waves reminded Ikuko of someone, but soon the thought left her. She didn't know the woman.

After cleaning up the purse's contents and placing them back into its depths, the Sailor scout handed Ikuko back.

"I should have been watching better. I'm supposed to be on duty so I was a little distracted by the other people coming…" The sailor scout trailed off as she stared at Ikuko. It must have been the first time she really saw her.

"Are you alright?" Ikuko asked. worried that she had stopped like that. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Her voice seemed to snap the sailor scout out of whatever trance she was caught in. "N-no! Of course not!" She almost seemed nervous to Ikuko. "Sorry about this, Mrs. Tsukino. You're here for the Q and A. The Press is sitting to the left, and the general public to the right. If you need anything please come and ask me. I'm Sailor Jupiter, okay?" She seemed to recover from whatever was bothering her as she rattled off information to the housewife.

"Thank you, Sailor Jupiter." Ikuko thanked. Sailor Jupiter stepped to the side and let Ikuko into the throne room. Ikuko looked and spotted Ken with a photographer sitting in the press section. She didn't move to sit with him instead she sat with the general public whose section was far less filled than the press section. though still seats were scarce. She found an unassuming seat somewhere in the middle and sat down. It was only then that Ikuko noticed that Sailor Jupiter had known her name. She turned back and looked towards the entrance. Oddly enough now the Sailor Scout was now gone.

Ikuko wasn't given much time to think about the as a man stepped in front of the thrones that sat towards the front of the room. His presence alone was enough to command the whole room's attention. Like the one she had seen during the awakening, He wore the same gray uniform, except he had a cape indicating he held a higher rank. He was tall, broad shouldered, and had long platinum hair that barely swept his shoulders. Ikuko almost thought the man reminded of someone, but as soon as the thought came into her mind it vanished. She didn't know the man, at all.

"Presenting, Their Majesties King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity. " He's voice was incredibly deep and without a mic it spread through the room, loud and clear. There was slightly a commanding tone to it, revealing the military background he must have had.

Together, arm and arm walked in both the King and Queen. His Majesty stood in a bright white tuxedo, with light lavender accents Matching his queen who was far more beautiful then Ikuko could have ever imagined.

Her hair was long completely void of any color, not in a way that was odd, but extremely natural. Her eyes deep blue created a deep contrast from her apparel that matched her hair save a few gold accents. Together the Queen and King made quite a handsome couple. His black hair, opposite to the Queen was cut perfectly, not a hair out of place. The Queen's hairstyle, was a favorite of Serena's the odango pigtails, though the Queen's fell much longer than Serena's ever could. The couple almost reminded Ikuko of-

Ikuko grabbed her head in pain. A migraine began making its appearance causing her to shut her eyes and look away from the royals that were now beginning to sit down on their respective thrones. Just as quickly as the migraine came so did it disappear because she looked up towards the royal previous thought, whatever it was, completely absent from her mind.

"Hello," The King greeted. "I welcome you all to my home, The Crystal Palace."

"We would like to thank all of you for coming." The Queen began taking over for the King. "It would seem that many of you have questions, and I believe we may have answers for you."

"Before we begin, I would like many of you to keep an open mind. The things you are about to hear, are almost too extraordinary to comprehend. I promise that everything you are going to hear is the complete, 100 percent truth." King Endymion finished.

"Now we will begin answering your question, please keep it to one question per person." The Queen added. To The Queen's right Ikuko noticed movement, just barely out of frame. Barely seen behind the grand curtain was a Sailor scout silently watching the crowd from the side. Her blonde hair, made Ikuko realize that she was one of the few sailor scouts that Ikuko knew. Her name was Sailor Venus. Though in the beginning when the Sailor scouts first appeared she had always gotten the girl confused with Sailor Moon. Now the Sailor scout quietly observing was no girl, but a woman. A warrior, Ikuko corrected herself mentally. Ikuko looked back and realized that Sailor Venus was not the only scout watching the Q and A. No, not watching, guarding. In the back, a Sailor with long black hair and a red fuku stood opposite to another with short blonde hair and navy fuku. Ikuko looked up and found more on the balcony. Another Sailor scout and a man in the same military uniform as the others. The Man had wavy brown hair and next to him was Sailor Jupiter who had introduced herself to Ikuko earlier. It seemed they all took the Queen and King's safety seriously. Ikuko understood. She was a very important person.

Finally, someone from the press had been picked from the first question. Ikuko wasn't sure what he would ask. Anything obvious would come out rude, and if history was right, royals had a tendency to be temperamental when offended.

"It's a pleasure being here, Your Highnesses. But I would like to know who are you?" He asked. Ikuko's mouth almost fell open in a most unattractive way. The gall. She certainly didn't have the courage to speak to royalty like that, but Ikuko also felt that he was right. Who were these people who claimed this royal title? King and Queen of what? Ikuko found herself asking.

Ikuko was taken out of her thoughts by a very soft... Was that giggling? Ikuko stared up at the throne to find the Queen giggling softly to herself. Beside her, the King's face slipped into an amused grin. The guard who had introduced them had kept a passive face, but Sailor Venus hidden in the corner had now almost completely disappeared behind the curtain. Ikuko could see her stifling a small laugh. In fact, all of them looked slightly amused by the blunt question, not at all upset. Ikuko couldn't understand.

In between giggles, the queen finally spoke, "Please forgive me. How terribly sorry for that, I am. It is just that my husband and I were discussing before this what would be the first question asked. He didn't think anyone would have the nerve and ask that question so early." The reporter took a step back. "Oh no. I am not reprimanding you. In fact, I thank you for your forwardness. I am going to be straight forward with you all, and I expect the same courtesy extended to me."

"Now to answer your question, I am Neo-Queen Serenity, and this is my Husband, King Endymion. Though you already knew that." The Queen smiled softly to the reporter, "I am joking. I knew what you meant. By asking who we are you wish to know, where exactly we come from, and what do we do exactly. We are many things, but first, we are your protectors."

"Can you please expand on that?" The reporter asked. Ikuko nodded in agreement. Protector? What did the Queen mean?

"Our job, the reason that we are here is to protect the earth from forces that you can not even begin to comprehend." The King said taking over for the Queen. "It is the reason such heroes as the Sailor scouts and Tuxedo mask began fighting. They were there because we ordered it so, and we ordered it so to protect the planet. We are your protectors, plain and simple."

"And what does this 'protection' cost?" A new voice spoke up, it was a female reporter who sounded cynical about the idea of our new protectors.

"Nothing." The Queen answered quickly. "We want nothing in return for the protection that we have bestowed onto you for years. You all have nothing to offer us. We protect this planet simply because it is the right thing to do, or do you don't believe that we would this simply because we are kind."

"Forgive me if I'm a little skeptical, Your Majesty. But people in power rarely do things out of the kindness of their own hearts. History has proven that. "

"Well maybe, Miss Akiko Akari, it's time someone changed that." The king responded to her with a kind smile. Akiko Akari blinked twice before sitting down. Ikuko wondered how the king knew the female reporter's name. After that, no one was afraid to ask the King and Queen anything. And they certainly had the answers they claimed to own. They were always civil and pleasant with their answers, calmly and thoroughly explaining everything that had been going without the public's knowledge these past years.

Ikuko couldn't believe how blind she had been for years, Those young girls were fighting not only the typical evils, like robberies but were fighting monsters as well working to keep the streets safe. So many times in the past years had the world been so close to ending only for it to be stopped by the scouts. Ikuko couldn't believe her ears. She almost thought it wasn't true, but it explained so many things that, it couldn't possibly be not true. How after she had just awoken from an 800+ sleep could she not believe the two royals.

Every question they answered exceptionally. There was a kindness and a down to earth way that the royals addressed the crowd that made Ikuko completely enamored with them. The King and Queen knew everyone by name and spoke as to them as if they were not royalty. Ikuko stared around the room. It seemed the king and queen had that effect on everyone in the room.

Finally after many questions, the end of the Question and answer finally came. The king very carefully picked a well-known news anchor. A woman, known for her tenacity about getting answers. Ikuko knew that whatever the woman asked it would be interesting.

"Hello, King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity. My question for may sound a tad bit rude, but after hearing everything that you've told us today. I'm a bit skeptical, why should we trust you. You and your…." The reporter struggled to find the word. "Soldiers have magical powers that can't even compare to the world's best armies. How do we know you won't just take us over? How do we know that you won't take advantage of us?"

King Endymion frowned most likely the first time Ikuko had seen the man not smiling pleasantly the whole night.

"I believe it's time that we explain to you the events surrounding The Great Sleep. After that whether you trust us or not is your own personal opinion. That with all my power, I can not change." King Endymion spoke.

"Let me just start off by saying that it was I who put the world to sleep for hundreds and hundreds of years." A gasp of shock came from Ikuko's mouth. He had put them to sleep. Ikuko didn't understand. The King had promised to protect the world, so why would he make them all sleep.

"Don't speak like that Endymion." The Queen reprimanded lightly. "There was no choice." she clarified. "Years ago before the great sleep ever happened we had crossed an enemy who wished to plunge this world into darkness. We were able to defeat said enemy, but the plan to create a second ice age was not something we could stop. In the end, Endymion used his dominion over the Earth to put everyone here to sleep for the duration of the great sleep, and when it was safe to wake everyone up, I used my powers to bring you all back to the new world."

King Endymion began speaking again, "While it was me who put all of you to sleep, it was Serenity's gift that revived all of you. Really the thanks go to her. Not only did she wake the world, but she healed all those with ailments as a gift to people. And this leads us to another announcement."

Ikuko was almost at the edge of her seat, What could the King and Queen possibly have to say now after this shocking news.

"Neo-Queen Serenity with her power has extended the life spans of everyone here on earth creating extreme longevity for everyone. All of you could live hundreds and hundreds of years more." The room was silent. No one moved. Ikuko felt her own mouth hang open. Extreme Longevity? It had to be a trick, a lie of some sort, however, Ikuko could see the King's eyes beneath his mask, and she could see no dishonesty.

"You're lying." A voice muttered in the crowd disbelieving. Ikuko almost had said it herself. It was impossible, wasn't it?

A loud condescending snort came from the balcony above. A man with long sandy blonde haired seems to be the source. He was the only one not to be standing at some sort of attention.

"Please, You all sleep for over 800 years and being able to live hundreds of years longer is what you question?" Ikuko stopped for a moment. The soldier had a point. After everything now they were being skeptical? It almost made sense to at this point. Clearly they had not been aware that there was even a danger to the world in the first place. Maybe it truly was time for Ikuko to open her mind.

"Really if you think that's hard to believe wait till you hear about-

"Zoisite!" The King belted out. Within his words, seemed to be a silent order and a reprimand because the soldier now named, Zoisite paled a little at the King's now grim face and returned to his silent position next to the others."

"Excuse him, " The king apologized. "Now, again I repeat this is true. We have also healed most terminal illnesses. You will not have to deal with the likes of HIV, AIDS, cancer, and many others and more. This is our gift to you all. One given in good favor and will not be taken back under any circumstances."

"The only thing we wish for in return is a world wide peace treaty. That means that every country must come together and be on equal terms. Any bad blood and ill intent we want to erase, and we have the means to do it. We want to create a millennium of peace, a crystal Millennium if you will."

"That's what you want in return for fixing all our ailments and making use practically immortal, world peace?" The reporter asked.

"Yes." The Queen answered. "I don't think that's a very hard bargain do you?"

The reporter laughed, "No, I do not."

"So let us together usher in a new age, an age without war, an age of peace, The Crystal Millennium!" The King proclaimed. Everyone in the room clapped, save for Ikuko. None of this mattered to her, what she wanted to know about was Serena. She wanted to find Serena, but none of her questions were going to be answered. Like good politicians the Queen and King answered the questions of the newspapers and news stations. No one else. It was so that everything they said would broadcast, and the world would know the good news, but none of that mattered. Serena mattered. Darien mattered. Mina, Lita, Amy, Raye, and all the others mattered, not this. Ikuko wasn't leaving till she had her answers so when the pictures were being taken and the smiles and handshakes were being given Ikuko tried to cry out towards the royals.

She stood up prepared to start screaming at the royals about information about Serena when someone grabbed her arm. She turned to see the a man in that gray military uniform with the blue trim holding her arm, glaring at her. Ikuko recognized him as the man who threatened the rowdy crowd on The Awakening.

"Mrs. Tsukino, Will you please come with me?" He asked, but before she could respond, he was dragging her away.

"Where are you taking me?" Ikuko asked. They were in a long hallway one Ikuko hadn't seen when she came inside.

"Someplace where you won't scream your head off at my King and Queen." He said to her in a short tone. Ikuko gasped. "Yes, I did know what you were planning. Now I need orders on how to deal with you."

Ikuko once agape mouth clamped shut. This was the man with the powers. The one with only a thought knocked a tree down and blew her backward. Ikuko remembered the fear she felt then and knew it was stronger now. Not only could he move things with only a thought, but she had the feeling he could read her mind.

"I can." He said proving her right. "You were projecting only reason I even noticed you amongst the crowd." He told her. He pulled her around a corner and into a room. It was an office. Nicely decorated, If Ikuko didn't know any better she would say it wasn't this general's office. It looked more like a woman's.

"Have a seat." He told her. "She'll be here shortly." He said answering her thoughts. Not even two seconds later Ikuko heard a slight pop and then standing before her was Sailor Venus and the Silver-haired General. He had his hand on her shoulder which fell at the sight of Ikuko.

"What is she doing here, Jadeite?" The General growled staring down the man with a glare that seemed to penetrate Ikuko with fear. So he was the one in charge of him. He was Jadeite's superior.

Jadeite didn't even look fazed. "She was going to start screaming. What was I supposed to do? You said to keep a mental watch on everyone in the room to make sure nothing goes wrong. I did my job. Go glare at Neph or something."

"If Neo-Queen Serenity finds out that you-"

"Kunzite." Sailor Venus spoke softly. The Head general went quite. "Jadeite was in the right here. That doesn't happen often. We've worked too hard to let her ruin the future we have ahead of us." Sailor Venus looked at Ikuko as if she were studying her.

"I see I was wrong in not removing you from the premises when you arrived here," Sailor Venus said speaking to Ikuko.

"Me? I don't understand." Ikuko said.

"Jupiter thought you needed removal, I disagreed. I was wrong. I will apologize later. May I see what's in your purse, Mrs. Tsukino?" Ikuko didn't even say yes before Jadeite grabbed the bag and deposited on the desk in front of Sailor Venus. Venus didn't hesitate to go through its contents. She apparently found what she was looking for as she held up photos for Ikuko to see.

"These are photos of your daughter, her husband, and friends, correct?" Venus asked. Ikuko nodded. "You were going to ask what happened to them weren't you, ?" Again Ikuko nodded. She didn't understand where this was going. "I'm afraid we can't let you do that."

"Excuse me!" Ikuko said shocked. Then it dawned "You know something about what has happened to Serena, don't you."

"I do." Sailor Venus confirmed. "And we can't have you going on and telling people about what happened. You'll ruin everything we have planned."

"You were lying then about it all. About the better future?" Ikuko asked. In the throne room, she was so taken with the royals. Know she was in a room with their soldiers alone, and she could tell she wasn't on their good side.

Venus snorted, "Of course not. We want everything we said in there, but in order to achieve that future we have to play politics, and I'm afraid I can't let you ruin our public image." Sailor Venus told her.

Ikuko looked towards the door to find Jadeite guarding it, not that she was going to get far from the sailor scouts anyway.

"What are you going to do to me?" Ikuko said nervously. No one knew where she was. "You want to cover up whatever happened to Serena."

"Yes, and you're going to help us with that Mrs. Tsukino." Sailor Venus told her with a smile. A smile that tore Ikuko up inside. That fake, condescending smile.

"Why the hell would I do that!" She said to the super-powered young woman before her. Ikuko didn't like swearing but this was a special occasion.

"Because unless you want to end up a vegetable in the loony bin unless you'll do as we say," Jadeite told her speaking up. He had been respectively quiet since Sailor Venus had begun talking, but now it was his time to intervene. "You know I can read minds, but I can do so much more that that to a mind. Don't be stupid and make me do something I'll regret."

"What Jadeite is trying to say, Mrs. Tsukino. Is that you have a son to raise. Should anything unfortunate happen that leaves you unable to take care of your son and be there for him? Well, that would just break my heart. You have such a nice family, Mrs. Tsukino. I hate for anything to happen to you. that leaves them in even more pain than the disappearance of a beloved daughter." Sailor Venus said carefully,

"You're blackmailing me," Ikuko said.

"Congrats you figured it out," Jadeite said dryly.

"Mrs. Tsukino, please understand where we're coming from. You could make everything disappear if we're not careful. So this is our deal. I won't have Jadeite wipe your mind, and you learn about what happened to your daughter and her friend. All you have to do is drop this matter and go on with your life."

This was her chance to learn the truth. Ikuko knew that. This is what she wanted. She came to the Crystal Palace to get answers, and now they were right in front of her.

"Fine." Ikuko accepted. "What happened to Serena?" She asked.

Sailor Venus held up a hand, "Frist you must promise that what we share with you, you can't share with anyone else. If you do, Jadeite wipes your mind clean. You won't even remember how to tie your shoes when he's done. Do you understand? No one can know not even your husband or your son." Ikuko bit her lip. She felt sorry that Ken would never know. It wasn't far, but living without her as well as Serena wouldn't be fair.

"Yes, I understand. Now tell me what happened to Serena." She urged. She was getting impatient. Those with knowledge of what happened were right in front of her. She was getting what she wanted.

Venus sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time since this conversation had started. "I'm terribly sorry, but your daughter and her friends are gone." Ikuko felt as if someone had just punched her in the gut or slapped her in the face. she wasn't sure which, but the hurt. It hurt to hear those words.

"What? How?" She asked. "She's alive. I know Serena 's alive." She told them earnestly. Ikuko truly believed that Serena was alive. If Serena had really died, then she would know. She was her mother. She would know.

"I'm sorry, but she's gone," Venus told her gently. Ikuko could see the pity in her eyes. "You see, there was a price to wake up everyone from the Great Sleep. Our queen sought out the noblest and giving hearts when we came across your daughter and her friends. Once hearing what needed to be done, they agreed to sacrifice themselves in order to give way to a better world. I am sorry that they can't be honored for it yet as everything is still so new, but one day I assure you we will have a monument for your daughter and her friends to remember their most noble sacrifice."

"You're lying." Ikuko stood up so fast she knocked over the pretty heavy antique chair she had been sitting on. Ikuko backed away from the sailor scout before her.

"I assure I am not lying about those young people being gone forever. It would be better if you would just forget. Continue on your life, finish raising your son. Hell, you're young. Have another child or adopt. Anything to help deal with the pain, but I assure you your Serena will never come back. She's gone Mrs. Tsukino. That is the truth." Sailor Venus said seriously looking Ikuko in the eye the entire time. She wasn't lying about Serena being gone. Ikuko could tell, but something still didn't sit right. Venus was telling the truth about Serena being gone, but Ikuko wasn't sure how much else was true.

"Now keep your end of the deal, and you'll never have to hear from us again. Just know we'll be watching you very closely, One step out of line and your life will fall apart." Venus threatened.

"For getting Serena back it would be worth it," Ikuko said looking the sailor scout straight in the eye. She would find out, and truth. She would find out what happened to Serena. Now she had a starting place, The Sailor scouts, and their royalty. The supposed Moon Queen and the King of the Earth.

Ikuko walked out of the office turning on her heel without another word. She would keep her promise. She wouldn't say a word to anyone else, but this wasn't over.

 ** _Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned._**

And Ikuko would find out the truth if she had to take down the crystal place piece by piece.

When the door to the office closed, Jadeite turned to Sailor Venus, "You know she's not going to drop this matter." He told her.

Venus sighed and began rubbing her temples, "Yeah, I know. She's just as stubborn as her daughter."

"What are we going to do? If she snoops around and leaves a trail back to us…" Kunzite trailed off. Everyone knew what would happen.

"I say we wipe her memories. I'll be careful. I'll do Mr. Tsukino, too. Make them ever forget they had a daughter." Jadeite offered.

"No, Neo-Queen Serenity would have our heads. It was only a threat, I don't mean to carry it out. We were only ordered to keep her away, I'd rather not have to resort to something so cruel." Venus responded. Beside her Kunzite nodded in agreement.

"I say have Zoisite keep an eye on her. His powers are very suitable for this sort of thing." Kunzite suggested.

"Yeah, but we're going to need more than that." Jadeite groaned. "I'd rather not have my mother figuring out what actually happened to me because of her."

Venus rolled her eyes, "Selfish reasons aside, you have a point." Venus agreed. "Just because Zoisite will be watching won't keep her from looking into us even more." Venus groaned. She could already feel a migraine coming. Venus reached over and picked up the phone on the desk before dialing a number.

"Hello? It's Venus," She paused as the person on the other line began to talk, "Yes, I know I'm not supposed to call. I have a mission to give you." The person on the other talked again. "I know it's early, but it's urgent. You're not going to it. It's about your mother."

* * *

 _ **Final word count: 10,048**_

 _ **Hello again. Miyu is back and to make up for such a long wait I've come with an extra long chapter. This one was one I had planned since the beginning. I actually went back and rewrote the ending of this because I felt I could make it better. originally Ikuko confronted Neo-Queen Serenity about the whereabouts of Serena, and the queen coldly tells her that Serena and her friends are dead. However, now that I've finished the Shittenou's character profiles some of thier powers conflicted with this as well as thier personalities which is why Jadeite stops Ikuko from confronting the queen. His telepathy paired with his teleportation ability allowed him to stop her before she had the chance to confront Serenity.**_

 _ **I've also decided on Sammy's powers that gifted to him. I won't tell you all just yet, but if you figure it out before it's officially revealed, there might be something special in it for you. I'll think of something later.**_

 _ **So what did I think of this chapter? I liked it. It was very easy to write, and I know a clearer path to the rest of this story because of the sort of hiatus I took. My favorite character to write has to be Jadeite. He has a dry sense of humor and a sarcastic wit about him. He's very similar Zoisite in that way, but I feel Jadeite has a drier sense of humor and is more cynical than Zoisite. Zoisite is just a smart mouth. I hope to do more with the Generals in this piece. I have worked so very hard on thier characterization, and I just love all of them.**_

 _ **I hope all of you enjoy this chapter of The Queen's Mother! If you have any Questions/Comments/Concerns please feel free to leave a review or PM anytime. I always answer!**_

 ** _Special Thanks to all of my reviewers from the last chapter!_**

 ** _Don't forget to Favorite/Follow/Review, and remember I love all of you!_**

 ** _~Miyu K. (May 12, 2016)_**


	4. Heart of Darkness

_**The Queen's Mother 4**_

 _ **The Queen's Mother: The Story of Ikuko Tsukino**_

 _ **Heart of Darkness**_

 _ **"It was written I should be loyal to the nightmare of my choice."~Joseph Conrad**_

Ikuko Tsukino stormed out of the Crystal Palace. her hair wiped her back as she moved with a pace that scared anyone in her way out of it. Ikuko probably looked like the angriest person in the world, and honestly, at the moment she felt like she was. For lack of a better term, Ikuko Tsukino was pissed.

How dare they!? Ikuko thought. Her anger's only outlet being the loud clank her heels made against the sidewalk as she walked back to her home. She had been right, the people in Crystal Palace knew what happened to Serena. She was right and they had blackmailed her into silence. Ikuko shivered at the thought of the threat made by the young general. Wiping her mind completely? Making her go insane? It was cruel, too cruel. She just wanted to find her daughter. Was that so bad? But was it worth losing the rest of your family? Ikuko wasn't sure. Ikuko wondered if Serena needed her or if Serena missed her right at this moment. Ikuko wondered what choice Serena would have made, or any other person in Ikuko's shoes. Could she just move on? Could she just forget? Sailor Venus would pay for the confusion and anger she made Ikuko feel. This wasn't right. The Sailor Scouts were supposed to protect the people, that's what the Queen had said, but Ikuko found that a little hard to believe now. It made Ikuko sick to see how easily the threats and the smiles came from them. They had an ulterior motive just like every other crooked politician.

Lost in her thoughts Ikuko found that she was suddenly at her front door faster than she thought she should have been. Her thoughts and worries had held her captive keeping things like time and reality away from her. Ikuko reached to open the door but paused. The door seemed different somehow. It was unwelcoming, something that any door let alone the one to her own home should be. It felt odd in an unfamiliar way. Ikuko finally touched the door handle and when she did the wind suddenly turned sharp and cold turning the doorknob she held in her hand into a cold piece of metal. It felt like ice in her hand and her instincts screamed at her to leave, but Ikuko fought them and opened the door. On the other side of it stood Ken, her husband, he was wearing the same clothes he had on earlier save for the tie which was nowhere in sight. Ikuko figured he must have beaten her back from the Crystal Palace. Without his tie, he didn't look as professional, and it also made him look a little bit younger, reminding Ikuko of their younger years together.

"Where were you?" Ken's question caught Ikuko off of guard. He had never asked her anything like that before, at least not with that angry tone and suspicious look on his face. Ken's shoulders were raised high, and his whole body was tense. Ikuko took a step forward only for Ken to move a step back away from her. Ikuko, confused, put down the hand that she didn't realize was reaching for Ken. Ken gave his wife an irritated, and impatient look that made Ikuko remember that he had asked her a question. Ikuko opened her mouth ready to spout out some excuse when Ken cut her off.

"Don't bother." He told crossing his arms, "I know where you've been. You went to the Crystal Palace, right?" Ken answered for her. Though it was a question Ikuko knew through his sarcastic tone that it was a rhetorical one. Ikuko was stunned. Se hadn't realized that Ken had seen her at the Crystal Palace. "You did see it on the news. Why did you lie to me?" Ken gave Ikuko a hurt look that almost made her tell Ken everything that she had been thinking about since the Great Awakening, but she stopped and felt her heart almost stop in her chest. What if Ken had seen Jadeite taking her away? She couldn't explain that to him. Sailor Venus would surely wipe her and Ken's memories if she even uddered a word about their "little arrangement". What would she tell him? Ken's words echoed through her head the word "lie" being the loudest one of all that felt like a piercing scream. She had lied to him earlier, she realized, and for the life of her Ikuko couldn't figure out why. Ikuko couldn't come up with an answer for her husband as he stood there waiting for her as she watched his disappointed face, Ikuko panicked and said,

"Last I checked I didn't need to keep you informed on where I'm going." Ikuko crossed her arms as she glared back at Ken. She had to fight fire with fire. She had to bite back. "Besides you didn't tell me where you were going either." She raised an eyebrow at him and watched as his expression went from disappointment to shock then to anger as she kept talking. "You were at the Crystal Palace. That's how you found out I was there. That was your '"Extra work"', right? Why does it matter if I go there?"

"Don't try to turn this around on me, Ikuko. I told you I had extra work. Why did you even go in the first place?" Ken asked taking a step forward.

Ikuko almost let out a relieved sigh, it seemed as though he hadn't seen the general taking her off somewhere in the palace. Ken's hurt expression pained Ikuko, she wanted to tell him the truth, but where would that get the two of them? Out of their minds in some as asylum not even able to recognize each other. If she told, she would be breaking her deal with Sailor Venus. She was supposed to forget and move on... Sure if she told Ken what had happened to her today, he would help her but, Sammy was still in school, and too young to deal with whatever repercussions came from continuing to look for Serena. She couldn't let that happen. Ikuko's mind begged her to listen to Sailor Venus. It was the smart choice. Sailor Venus pretty much admitted Serena wasn't coming back. She should just drop the issue and move on, it was easy. Ikuko thought of Serena. Serena needed her. No, no it wasn't.

 _Someone had to stay with Sammy._

Because for Serena, Ikuko would do anything. For Serena, Ikuko would take on the entire world. For Serena, Ikuko would lie.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Ken. It doesn't matter." Ikuko didn't look t see Ken's expression and she didn't stay to hear what else he had to say. Ikuko went straight up to her bedroom and got into her bed. The day was long and filled with the ashes of the bridges she was burning. All for Serena. All for Serena.

 _Ikuko walked out of her class and yawned. She regretted signing up for night classes this semester. It seemed like a good idea when she did it, but it seriously cut into her social life. Ikuko sighed, if only she had listened to her roommate, Chiaki. Still, at least she was a senior, meaning it was her last year before she was able to go out and take on the world. No more teachers and no more books. The thought made Ikuko want to dance. At least the university campus was beautiful at night. That was the only consolation to her 8 p.m. Advanced Writing Techniques class._

 _Ikuko just loved the nighttime, and the moon was her favorite part about it. The way it shined in the dark sky was one of Ikuko's small pleasures. Night reminded Ikuko of people. Like people, Nights were filled with so many contradictions, so many opposites. They were dark, yet bright. It was peaceful, yet lively. It was quiet, yet loud. Night was filled with contradictions, and Ikuko loved it more because of that. Ikuko stretched her arms toward the dark sky as she listened to the cicadas cry. She took a moment to stare at the stars above before she headed back to her dorm room, and let her day end with an endless amount of work and studying._

 _That was when Ikuko heard a scream._

 _Ikuko was running toward the scream before she even registered what could be happening. Someone was in trouble, and where there was trouble there was a story. Ikuko ran around the back of one the buildings, whoever screamed it was not a scream of playfulness. It was a scream of help, a scream of pain. When Ikuko got to the back of the building she noticed a girl, a girl she knew. Her name Kaede. Ikuko meet Kaede her first year of at the university. They were in the same year. Back then Ikuko always noted how happy and cheerful the girl looked, but that wasn't the picture she could see before her. Kaede was on the ground, sitting with her knees tucked into her chest. Her hair which was in a ponytail looked as if it had been pulled and was now sulking and messy. Her hands covered her face as if to hide from the world. That wasn't the most shocking thing. Her clothes had been ripped off of her, or at least almost. Ikuko found Kaede's skirt, on the ground only a few feet away from the girl._

 _"Kaede?" Ikuko didn't know what to do. She had run in head first without thinking. What could she do? She spoke the girl's name as she tentatively stepped up toward her. Kaede looked up so fast that it almost startled Ikuko._

 _"You." Ikuko relaxed as she saw that Kaede recognized her, "I know you..." Kaede spoke. Finally gaining some courage Ikuko stepped up to the girl._

 _"Yeah," Ikuko gave Kaede a weak smile. "We had American Literature together last year. I'm glad you remember." Ikuko sad softly. She didn't know what to do. Should she touch the girl? Comfort her? Go get help? Help... that sounded like the right thing to do. Ikuko needed to go get help. "I'm going to go and find help, You'll have to be okay on your own. I'll be right back." Kaede's eyes went big as she shook with fear at the idea of being left alone. Ikuko wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't rich, so she didn't have one of those mobile phones, and there wasn't a pay phone around. She would have to go inside the building and call the police. Kaede seemed to understand that Ikuko would have to leave her for a short time as she nodded and with that Ikuko ran toward the nearest door of the building. As she passed the skirt that Kaede's attacker had removed from the poor girl Ikuko noticed something shining on the concrete. Ikuko bent down to pick it up._

 _Was it a key? It was a key, but not just any key, a faculty key._

* * *

Ikuko woke up groggy. She rubbed her head as she felt a migraine coming. She hadn't dreamt about her time in college for a long time. College didn't matter anymore as Ikuko was older now. She had a family, children. She wasn't the same insensitive, uncaring, journalist wannabe she was back then. She had something to think about more now than just herself. She wasn't that girl anymore. Ikuko shook off the thoughts and quickly got out of bed. It was early, but she knew that going back to sleep now was not an option. Ikuko stepped out of her bedroom, careful not to wake Ken. He hadn't come to bed last night until he was sure that Ikuko was asleep. Ikuko could not blame him for still being upset with her. However, he was not her first priority. Serena was.

Thinking of Serena, Ikuko found herself in front of the door to Serena's room. Ikuko hadn't been inside the girl's room since the Great Awakening, and even before the sleep Ikuko seldom went into Serena's room after the girl had moved out when she was 18. It wasn't the worries over Serena that kept Ikuko from entering the room, it was the fact that the room was only a shadow of what it used to be. The room was a shadow of who Serena used to be. Ikuko hated the reminder. Without even opening the door Ikuko knew what it looked like on the inside. She also knew that it was nothing compared to how it looked when Serena was still a young girl. The walls that were once covered in posters of Serena favorite anime and manga characters. The floor was always littered with her clothes, and the desk covered in teen girl fashion magazine. Ikuko knew that now there were no clothes on the floor and no posters on the wall. The bed no longer had anything to cover it, and the desk had only a few books that Serena had accidentally left behind. The room was the corpse of Serena's childhood and Ikuko didn't like dwelling on how she had somehow failed her daughter somewhere in the past.

Ikuko pushed the door to Serena's room open she found herself wondering that if she had given Serena less privacy, less trust would she be around now. It didn't matter know what Ikuko did then, she thought as she stepped forward to the girl's desk. It was littered with papers left behind from the days that Serena was in school. Ikuko took notice of some pictures mixed among the old school work. Ikuko picked up one of the pictures. It was a picture of Serena and Darien. Oh, how young Serena and Darien looked in the photo! Serena couldn't have been older than 14 and Darien 17. They were both still in school. Darien had graduated that year if Ikuko remembered correctly. Serena was beaming in the picture probably about having a boyfriend who was already out of high school by the time she was going in. Ikuko chuckled as she remembered how much Ken had complained that Darien was too old for Serena. Ikuko always thought those kids were made for each other. Ikuko picked up another photo this one of Serena and the girls sitting in front of Raye's family shrine. They all seemed to be laughing at each other. They were older than in the picture from before. Ikuko couldn't help but smile about how carefree, happy, and normal the girls looked.

Normal….

Ikuko chuckled darkly. Serena hadn't been normal since she was 14, and Ikuko suspected that was true of all the girls. Ikuko wondered how she couldn't tell that things weren't normal back then. Well, Ikuko knew things were a little weird, but what she really wondered was why she never said anything. Why did she let all those little things slide that stuck out about the girls? If she had spoken they might still be around. Ikuko could not let herself focus on her past mistake. She still had to find out what happened to the girls, but Ikuko had nowhere to start. If Ikuko couldn't find anything about Serena, she had no way of finding out what happened to the other girls as well. The other girls... Was that it? Was that Ikuko's way of finding something out? While Ikuko had missed her chance to find something concretely odd about the girls one of the other mothers had to. They must at least have something Ikuko could use to find her Serena. The chances were too slim that none of the others hadn't noticed anything. The girls did everything together. If anything they were all together now. Ikuko could feel it in her bones. She had to stop looking at Serena and start looking at Amy, Raye, Lita and Mina. Those four girls would have the answers Ikuko needed.

Ikuko eyed the two blondes in the photo in her hand. They held each other in a tight hug, with matching wide grins across their faces. Serena and Mina were so very alike. Even Ikuko almost confused Mina for her daughter when going to the grocery store one afternoon. She would start with her. Something-somebody in Mina's life had to have some information for Ikuko. Ikuko knew that this was her lead. The thing that would lead her to Serena.

* * *

Ken left for work without hardly a word to Ikuko. She wasn't surprised. He held grudges, something that Ikuko was incapable of. Sammy was the same way. He always remembered when someone slighted him, and he hardly ever forgave. Serena was like Ikuko always forgiving even when the most horrible things happen. Ikuko always forgave.

With Ken at work and Sammy at school. Ikuko spent the rest of the morning baking her famous lemon pie. She smiled fondly as she remembered how Sammy, Serena, and Rini fought over the pie like it was a prized jewel. That was a different time. Ikuko could hardly believe that it was hundreds of years ago that she was baking pies for her daughter. To her, it only felt like a few years, but in reality, it was so far back that Ikuko was sure if not for Neo-queen Serenity she would be dead right now, and not remembering anything. Still, reminiscing wasn't going to finish the pie. Quickly Ikuko put on her oven mitts and took the pie out of the oven. It was perfect, of course, but that didn't matter. The pie didn't really matter. It was after all only an excuse to go and visits Mina's Mother.

Alice Aino lived with her husband on the other side of town. Which Ikuko could argue was the better side of town, not that her own house wasn't nice. It was just that anyone who was anyone lived on that side of town Raye's family Shrine and Dr. Mizuno lived on that side of town. While Ken could afford to live over there, Ikuko much preferred the place they lived now. As Ikuko walked toward Mina's house she remembered how Serena had only met the girl when she moved back to Japan from London when the girls were in the 8th grade. Ikuko only really knew the basics about the Aino family. That Mina's mother was from England and was part of the military there before marrying Mina's father, a Japanese ambassador, who was often not home. Mr. Aino would not be home now if Ikuko remembered correctly. He had gone to London as soon as he could to search for Mina when he hadn't heard from her. If Serena had gone missing in a foreign country Ikuko would have probably done the same.

Ikuko knocked on the door to the Aino's home, and a woman Ikuko recognized as Mina's mother answered the door. She looked a lot like Mina, something that Ikuko envied about her. Serena didn't favor her in looks at all. While Alice and Mina had matching straight blonde hair and blue eyes. Ikuko had Wavy lavender hair and dark blue eyes contrasting with her daughter's fair, curly, blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Ikuko noticed something in Alice's eyes that weren't in her own. A look of tiredness.

"Oh, Ikuko." There was a mild surprise to Alice's voice. The woman looked exhausted as if she hadn't slept in days. Ikuko wanted to say something to her about it but shut her mouth. Ikuko was here on a mission not for niceties. "Hello," Alice tried to give Ikuko a convincing smile. To which Ikuko smiled back to make the woman a little more comfortable. "I wasn't expecting company today?" Ikuko noticed how Alice phrased the sentence as a question. A very polite, and indirect way of asking Ikuko what she was doing there, and well Ikuko couldn't very well start interrogating the woman about how she parented her daughter. This was not like the interviews she prepared for in college. If those were like taking a battering ram to a door, then Ikuko would have to gently coax the person into coming out. Ikuko took a deep breath. This is what the pie was for.

"I just came to check on you!" Ikuko beamed at Alice her best smile, "To see how you were holding up. I even brought some of my famous pie to give to you. I thought it would make you feel better." Ikuko was aware that the pie was her foot in the door. Alice Aino was a nice woman, and decorum told her that she had to invite the other woman into her home for tea, even if she was still worried about her missing daughter. Ikuko could tell by the look on the other mother's face that she had already won.

"Please, Come in…." Alice Aino ushered Ikuko into her home a little hesitantly. Honestly, if Ikuko was still stricken dumb by Serena's disappearance she wouldn't want to have quest over either, but it had been months, and she couldn't afford to be a recluse. Ikuko stepped inside with a small thank you and almost ran into a stack of boxes sitting in the foyer. As Ikuko looked around she noticed that the house looked a little empty instead it was filled with these brown boxes that were stacked almost in every room that Ikuko could see.

"I'm so sorry," Alice apologized. "I know it's a mess in here, but you'll have to excuse me. My husband and I are packing to move back to London." Ikuko felt her mouth drop at the words.

"You're moving?" Ikuko asked in disbelief. Leaving? Ikuko couldn't understand leaving especially now at all times. What about their daughter?

"Yes, My husband and I think it would be best to go back to London and look for Mina full time there. That is where she disappeared after all. She's in that city somewhere, I just have to find her." Alice answered leading Ikuko to the kitchen which was pretty much bare except for the table, chairs, and a few dishes. Ikuko could understand her reasoning now, but if Ikuko were honest with herself she thought the notion to be foolish. The girls didn't want to be found. This wasn't like the first time they went missing. Ikuko could gather that much from the way they had all collectively disappeared, and about how the Crystal Palace was keeping Ikuko from talking about the girls having gone missing. Alice wouldn't find her answers in London. The answers were in the past. Ikuko had to clear the past to get a better look at the present. It was her only chance of finding Serena. Ikuko just wished she could tell Alice that.

"I hope you have a safe journey then," Ikuko wished. Ikuko felt the situation was awkward. Serena was the comforter. Ikuko herself was horrible at it. Ikuko always had a back for saying the wrong thing, and right now she couldn't afford to let her tongue slip. So she stayed silent. In all her years Ikuko had learned that sometimes the best way to get information from people is to just listen. And Alice looked like she needed someone to listen to her. "How are you really, Alice?" Ikuko asked, and she waited for the floodgates to open.

Alice leaned forward and rested her arms on the table. "I don't know…," Alice answered honestly. "Mina was my only child, and I can't even think about anything that could have-" Alice choked on her words, Ikuko moved to comfort her, but Alice held up a hand stopping her. Maybe this woman was stronger than Ikuko thought. "We will find Mina." the tone of her voice left no room for argument. It was not a statement of if or when, but a sure declaration of how things are going to be. There was a sort of fire in Alice's eyes that made Ikuko smile. Just when she was starting to think that Alice had given up, she surprised her. Maybe Mina takes after her mother in more ways than one.

Ikuko felt that now was the time to ask. Finally, she felt that if she could appeal to Alice's motherly empathy then maybe just maybe Alice would help her. "Alice," Ikuko started out slowly, "I know we don't like to think about our children this way but I must ask you this." Alice looked puzzled at Ikuko's words but none the less nodded. "Was there anything strange about Mina when she was in middle and high school?" Ikuko asked, and she could see the walls immediately build back up.

"Of course not," Alice answered hurriedly. "Mina was a sweet girl and never did anything wrong. She was the captain of her Volleyball team in high school. She was voted most athletic amongst her students." Ikuko wondered who Alice was trying to convince, Ikuko or herself. "Mina was normal. She had a normal childhood." Alice said through gritted. Ikuko sighed. Just when she thought that this would be easy.

"Now, Alice, We both know that isn't true. You remember when the girls went missing for weeks after they graduated, and the other little times that they would disappear for a night. Or shall I bring up the unexplained minor injuries and the sudden change in personality? I know you noticed them because you are a great mother, Alice, and you know in your heart that something is wrong here. Things from when the girls were young are not adding up, and I think this has something to do with the fact that they have now gone missing."

There was a pause as Ikuko's words sunk deep into Alice's mind, but her heart was hard. "No," she said with a shake of her head."I don't know anything. Those things were just teenage rebellion and puberty. There is nothing wrong about Mina's life. I gave her a perfect life, or at least I tried my best…"

Ikuko knew she had to push harder, "Alice, I never said it was your parenting, but I think some outside force. Something that we don't know is the cause of this, and I'm trying to find my daughter too! You are running off to England just for the sake of your missing daughter, and I'm here asking you these things for the sake of finding mine if we're lucky maybe they are in the same place, but it would be foolish not to acknowledge the odd happenings that surrounded the girls. I think I maybe onto something here. Please, if you know anything tell me. We might just be able to save the girls yet."

Ikuko watched as Alice's eyes grew sadder and sadder. She heaved a sigh before she spoke, "I wish there was some sort of logical explanation for all of this, Ikuko." Alice admitted, "But there isn't is there." Alice quickly got up and walked over to one of the many boxes sitting in her living room. "Mina was in high school when I found this compact of her's. I don't remember her ever buying anything like that before, but there it was in her room on the window seal glittering in the sunlight." Alice paused as if she were reliving the moment she found the compact. "I don't know why, but I took it. It just seemed a little out of place compared to the rest of Mina's things, but as far as I can tell it's a normal makeup compact." Alice walked back over to Ikuko with a golden jeweled moon shaped compact in her hand. Ikuko also found that Alice was right to be suspicious about the compact because it looked vaguely familiar, as well as held some sort of presence to it. It felt as if it were from another world, but to the normal eye, it looked like a pretty makeup compact that some teenaged girl would carry around.

"This is the only thing that I can think of that would help you in some way. I'm sorry I can't help you more." Ikuko couldn't tell if Alice was being truly sincere about that last part, but it didn't matter she got what she needed from the mother.

Ikuko left the Aino household shortly after that. She wished Alice and her husband luck as they moved to London and hoped that they would find some sort of closure. Ikuko knew she would never that, but that didn't mean she couldn't wish it on other people.

As Ikuko walked into her home she found Sammy back from school. He didn't have cram school today and was technically still grounded. Ikuko was glad that he was following rules now. She didn't need Ken worrying about Sammy anymore, nor could she afford for him to be acting out right now, not when she needed to be searching for Serena. Sammy was sitting on the kitchen counter eating a sandwich he must have made shortly before she got home in order to hold him over until dinner.

"Sup, Mom." He greeted with his mouth still full of sandwich. "Whatcha been up to?" He asked curiously. She couldn't blame the boy for being curious about where she had been. She normally didn't leave the house unless to go to the grocery store.

"This and that," She answered back. "I had an errand to run." Ikuko sat her purse on the Kitchen counter far from where Sammy was currently sitting, as she heard the front door open and close. Ikuko guessed that Ken must have gotten off of work early today.

"Hey, Dad!" Sammy waved, and as he made the motion Ikuko's purse fell off the counter and onto the floor spilling all of its contents. Ikuko could have sworn the bag was safely placed in the middle of the counter but shrugged it off. Maybe she had just made a mistake. Sammy looked shocked and quickly jumped off the counter to go and help cleaning up the spilled contents of his mother's purse. However, he stopped when he got to the golden compact.

"Hey, mom, Where did you get a Sailor V toy?" Sammy asked her picking it up and inspecting it. Before placing it back on the counter with the rest of his mother's things.

"Sailor V toy? Does that character use something like this?" Ikuko asked. She knew Serena and Sammy loved the Sailor V character when they were young. Mina must have liked Sailor V, too. And a Toy? Maybe there was nothing special about the compact after all.

"Yeah, it's like her finishing move, mom. This one is pretty legit, too!" Sammy said excitedly. He still collected Sailor scout merchandise. It was one of his hobbies. "Where did you get this?" He asked.

"Oh Alice Aino, Mina's Mother, gave it to me. Said it was something of Mina's." She told Sammy plainly. "Did you know that they're moving to London to look for Mina," Ikuko asked, but Sammy didn't answer her. Strangely it seemed he was caught in his thoughts somewhere. "Sammy, did you hear the Aino's are moving to London?" She said again. This seemed to snap her son out of whatever he was thinking of.

"No, Mom, I haven't," he said as casually as he could. "Listen, I have some homework to go do. So, I'll see you later." Sammy then abruptly left the kitchen, not even bothering to finish his sandwich. Ikuko wondered if she did something to make her son mad at her.

* * *

The rest of the evening passed without incident. Ikuko was cleaning up the mess from dinner and Ken was watching television in the living room when a call came on the house phone. Ken answered the phone from the living room and while Ikuko didn't hear the conversation she did hear Ken rushing from the couch to the kitchen with a scared expression on his face.

"Ikuko, we have to go to the police station right now!" He said AS he hurriedly put on his shoes.

"Police station?" Ikuko echoed, "Why?" She had never seen Ken this distraught. It worried her.

Ken finally stopped moving as he turned to his wife and said, "They said they found the body of a girl matching Serena's description tonight."

In that moment, Ikuko felt her whole world stop.

* * *

 _~Final Word Count: 5,595~_

 _Author's note~_

 _Sorry for the long wait, you guys, but with college and everything I'm a little swamped. I did warn you about wait time between chapters, didn't I? Anyway, I love this chapter. It was fun to right. I would have been done in December but my wifi kept cutting me out and deleting my progress, and I had to take a break from it for a while to cool down. Anyway, Crystal is supposed to be getting a new season. I'm going to watch it of course because the original space lesbians are going to be in it lol. So what do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? It's you guys' favorites and reviews that get me through chapters._

 _So please if you have anything to say_ _Review/Favorite!_

 _Love you all to pieces!_

 _~Miyu K._

 _P.S Special thanks to Lauralkelley99, xSmallLadySerenity13_ , and CrystalPlaysPokemon for their lovely reviews of chapter 3! You guys are the reason I love doing this!


	5. Les Misérables

_The Queen's Mother 5_

 _Les Miserables_

 _"To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life."_

 _― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables_

Ikuko didn't know what to do or think about the situation so she just watched. She watched as Ken ran around the house taking care of things, making sure Sammy was alright and staying home, and grabbing Ikuko's light jacket and purse before grabbing her hand and heading out the door. Ikuko only watched the lights as they speed past her while she sat in the moving car. Living so close to the city they barely used their car, but Ken was in a rush not that Ikuko could blame him. This was about their daughter. Ken had been so worried about Serena. Almost as much as she was. The lights on the road passed them by as they got closer to the police station, Ikuko wondered if all of this was real. No, Ikuko was not pondering philosophy about reality but wondered if this who situation could be really about Serena. Could this all be centered around Serena? Ikuko almost found herself hoping that it was another girl's body they had found in the street, and not that of her Serena. The police had only found a body that could be Serena's, and Ikuko could only hope it wasn't.

They had parked the car and Ken practically ran inside of the police station. Ikuko kept a slow walk as she could feel a heaviness in her chest, and the world around her spun slightly. The other officers and various people working around barely took notice of Ikuko and Ken, and honestly, to Ikuko, they're faces blurred. She was too worried to think about those around her. The Police station was loud with the bustle of busy café or a city in the middle of the day. Ikuko wondered if it was like this every day, but it wasn't every day that someone was asked to identify a body. Ken talked to the man at the front desk, and honestly, Ikuko was more focused on keeping her breathing steady, and her mind clear then to hear the muffled question. Ken grabbed Ikuko's hand and lead her down the hallway seemingly aware of her dazed and confused state. Ikuko wasn't sure how he was handling this. More than likely it was the hope that the girl they found wasn't Serena, or was it the want of closure? Ikuko couldn't be sure. Especially with how Ken had tried to keep her from searching things about Serena's disappearance on her own. His anger every time she brought something. His hand in her own was comforting and familiar, but it held something unknown in its grasp. Ikuko wasn't sure what to think of Ken at the moment.

Ken lead her into the morgue where a man and a detective meet them. The detective was a young woman, Ikuko noted. She seemed to know a lot about Serena's case and was sure that the body was Serena's, but needed the family to officially identify her since the body carried no identification. Ikuko braced herself as the coroner moved back the sheet from the body. Ken squeezed her hand tightly just as she did his and Ikuko prayed to any god listening that this girl was someone else. Time seemed to slow as the loudest thing in the room became the hammering sound of Ikuko's own heartbeat. She felt faint, but couldn't afford to be weak now. She had to see this through for Serena's sake. As the sheet was pulled back Ikuko's entire world came crashing down.

The blonde hair, the blonde hair Ikuko remember brushing and braiding since the girl was a baby was caked with mud, dirt, and grime. It was no longer the brilliant color it had been instead its vibrant color was faded as if someone had put a filter on a picture causing the color to dull slightly. Her skin was oh so pale. Far too pale to hold any life in it. Her nails were long and unkempt, Serena had always taken care to clip her nails regularly. She was always so clumsy, she fell so many times as young girl that she kept her nails short to keep from scratching herself over and over again. She was also far skinner than Serena had ever been. While Serena was never overweight, not even anywhere near it, she was always healthily looking, not like the body that laid in front of her. It was so different, but there was no denying that the body on the table was Serena. The face was that of her daughter's, and Ikuko thought her heart might just bust in her chest. Ikuko thought she should just die here. This body that laid on the table was Serena. It didn't feel right in her chest. Serena couldn't be gone, not like this.

It was Ken's anguished cries that brought Ikuko back into the world of the living.

"Not her. Oh god, please." He pleaded. Neither had ever believed in any sort of religion, but here was her husband probably for the first time in his life praying to whoever could here to turn back time, and give him his daughter back.

"So, this is her." The detective inferred from both of their reactions. Neither Ken nor Ikuko could answer her, but she wrote something down on a clipboard she had in her hands and walked over to the parents putting a comforting hand on their shoulders. "My condolences. I really hate this part of my job, but we have some questions we need to ask the both of you since this case has now turned into a homicide. We'll give you some time, but please whenever you're ready. Take as long as you need." The detective released both of their shoulders and motioned for the coroner to follow her out of the room.

It was Ken who moved toward the body first. Ikuko, however, was struck dumb. The information too much to process. She could barely breathe let alone move. Was her daughter dead? Had her searching been pointless? Was this really all there is to Serena's story in life? Taken far too early from the world? Serena was special, magical in a way that all mothers thought their daughters were special. This was her daughter. Not another face of some poor helpless girl on the 9 O'clock news. This couldn't be real. It couldn't be happening. Serena wouldn't die and leave her behind, could she? Ikuko heard a story about a girl who died in a horrible car accident, and at the funeral, the mother had a fatal brain aneurysm. Some say it was the grief that killed her. Ikuko wondered if she would go the same way, as right now all she think about was how alone Serena must have felt. How Ikuko rather it had been her that died instead. Parents weren't supposed to bury their children. Mothers weren't supposed to bury their precious baby girls, but here Ikuko was staring dumbfounded at the corpse of her 21-year-old daughter freshly married to her high school sweetheart. The world should have been her's.

Ken held onto the body's hand apologizing for ever fight they ever had, and every time he grounded her, and every time he hadn't been there. He promised to love her forever, that nothing was ever going to change that, and Ken Cried. Ken cried for the first time in what had to have been years. Even when Serena had gone missing and he was sick with worry he hadn't cried but has he held that hand of his dead daughter, he cried, and so did Ikuko. Ikuko finally gained the courage to gain a closer look at the body, she couldn't fall apart. Not here in the police station. Ken needed her to be slightly stronger right now. She had to be a pillar. Ikuko moved towards Ken pulling her husband into a tight hold and letting him cry into her shoulder. His grip on her was tight almost to the point of pain, but Ikuko didn't mind. She knew what emotions were going on in his head right now for she felt them too. Disbelief, anger, unparalleled sadness, the feeling of helplessness. She knew all too well what he was feeling. Serena finally looked up at her daughter's body and noticed some bruising on her wrist. Serena always bruised so easily. Someone must have tied her up. Something in Ikuko told her to reach out and touch her daughter for what would probably be her last time, and so she did. Ikuko reached for the limp hand of her daughter, not knowing what to expect, but knowing she needed the closer of holding her child's hand a final time.

Electric would be how Ikuko could describe the feeling that went into her body that moment she touched the hand. It was cold, of course, but that wasn't what caused Ikuko to drop the girl's it was the knowledge that now came to her. The hand that she just touched was foreign to her. In didn't at all feel like the hand of her daughter, and that was when Ikuko remembered something important. Ikuko pushed Ken away in a hurry as he through her questioning, startled look.

"I'm sorry," She said responding to his unspoken question. "I can't-", She stopped what was she supposed to tell him. She didn't even know what to think let alone what to say. "I need some air." Ken's questioning look turned sympathetic and he nodded at her as Ikuko ran hurriedly from the room, and straight into someone. "I'm sorry." She said only looking at the person for a fraction of a second before hurting down the hall to the women's restroom she had passed when they were led into the Morgue. Ikuko quickly turned on the water waiting for it to get as cold as possible before splashing it into her face. Startling her system enough to make her gasp loudly for air, clearing her head, and making the world spin a little less. She needed to clear her thoughts. What was all of that? She knew the moment she touched the hand, the girl on the table wasn't her daughter.

She had no poof. Even she had thought the body was her daughter. Hell, her husband still thought it was her daughter, but Ikuko knew that the girl wasn't her daughter. Serena had always had soft hands, and the hand that she held were rough and course. Maybe she was mistaken, maybe she was crazy. All the proof was in front of her. Her daughter's body supposedly sat in the other room, but for some reason, Ikuko couldn't get it out of her head that it wasn't Serena, that it couldn't be Serena. She wondered if this were the grief. Would it drive her mad? Ikuko wasn't sure what to think when the restroom's door swung open quietly.

"Mrs. Tsukino?" A voice asked before the head of the detective popped into the room. Ikuko quickly tried to compose herself, but the woman detective waved a hand stopping her. "You're fine. You've been through a lot." She said understandingly. " You bumped into me when you ran, I just came to check on you. Are we alone in here?" Ikuko raised an eyebrow, but looked around and saw that it was only the two of them in the restroom. Ikuko nodded and the detective steeped closing the door behind them. Ikuko lowered her head not really wanting to hear condolences. the woman seemed nice with her short black hair that only touched her ears and her brown eyes, but Ikuko was not in the mood for niceties.

"Mrs. Tsukino, I just wanted to give my condolences again. I understand what you're going through" The detective said, and Ikuko stopped herself from snorting in disgust. This woman didn't know a thing that was happening. She was just as ignorant about what really happened to her daughter as everyone else. " You see, these things happen to people, even good ones who were warned not to go looking into things that they shouldn't." Ikuko looked up quickly, caught off guard by the woman's continuation.

"Excuse me?" Ikuko asked clearly confused. The woman smiled at her sweetly.

"Now Now, Mrs. Tsukino, our mutual friend, did warn you to mind your business, did she not? Come on now, you know who I am talking about. Blonde, a bit bossy, and cold enough to threaten your entire life with a smile on her face." Ikuko froze at the implication. Venus did this? Was sailor venus the cause of this? The woman must have noticed the realization on Ikuko's face for she kept speaking. "You must have thought you were awfully smart going to Mina Aino's mother for information. After all, it wasn't technically your daughter you were investigating at all." Ikuko bit her lip as the not-detective stalked around her like a predator watching its prey.

"But we see everything, and next time not only will we delegitimize whatever kooky story you come up with we will carry out our promise to make sure that you won't even remember you had a daughter. I've seen Jadeite try to take such important memories out of people's heads before, and let me just say that they were never the same." Ikuko was in shock. What had she stumbled upon trying to find her daughter? She wasn't sure, but the woman kept talking.

"Now, let's set some more house rules since you seem to be the type who likes the push the rules to the limit." She said stopping in front of Ikuko and looking her straight into the eyes. "You will not continue to investigate anything about Serena Tsukino or her friends that are missing. You are not to initiate contact with anyone closely related to them. And lastly, you are not allowed to tell anyone about what you think you know, or what you don't know. Mention it or our little chats with anyone, even your husband, and we will wipe your and their memories clean. Like Sailor Venus told you, it's time you move on, Your daughter is gone." She said so pleasantly that Ikuko almost forgot she was being threatened.

Ikuko frowned at these rules that clearly locked her in a way that she couldn't actively look into her daughter's disappearance. "These rules… I'd imagine you must have some way of monitoring me in order to know if I follow them?" Ikuko asked.

"Well, actually, I'm tasked with keeping watch on you as well as some others, but you'll mostly be dealing with me, So I'll get to know you a bit more." The woman smiled. " And since you asked nicely, Let's just say I have a way of getting around without being noticed." Suddenly the woman that stood before Ikuko turned into a completely different person, a man with long sandy colored hair, and green eyes that shined with humor. Ikuko recognized this man with his feminine appearance. He was at the Q and A, one of the generals that stood watch over the event. As quick as the change was, it went back to the female detective almost like they had never changed at all.

"I hope you understand your position, not that I know why Venus is bothering. The world thinks your daughter is dead now. Anything you say to contradicts that makes it looks like the mad ravings of a grieving mother, but she clearly overestimates you," A prideful glint shined in the eyes of the woman…. or man. Ikuko honestly wasn't sure at this point what they were. "Now play nice, and I'll be watching you." Blowing a kiss to Ikuko, they walked out the door leaving Ikuko alone in the restroom.

Ikuko almost didn't know what to think. So many things were floating around in her head. Her daughter's disappearance was being covered up. The new King and Queen and their so-called benevolent intentions for the world, and their soldiers who would do anything to ensure the success of their plans even blackmail a harmless civilian. These things were all connected to each other, but Ikuko didn't know how or why. Ikuko looked into the mirror of the bathroom and found herself smiling. Soon the smile grew and Ikuko found herself laughing hard and loud. She felt a tear form in her eye, she stopped laughing as she wiped it away, still smiling ever so relieved. Sailor Venus was a fool. Ikuko would never stop looking for daughter now, not when Sailor Venus had given the only information she needed to keep searching. Her daughter was not the body in the morgue. Her daughter was out there somewhere. Her daughter was alive.

And that was all the information Ikuko needed.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 2,923_**

 _ **Author's Note:** It's good to be back. I'm on Christmas break now for the next 8 weeks, So I figured I would post some chapters. I like to get them done during the break, but sometimes it doesn't work out like that. This time however it did. So I am sorry for the wait, but school and work are around to take up all my free time. _

_So about this chapter... It was supposed to be way longer, but when I was writing it was just too natural for me not to end the chapter here. Usually, my chapters have about five or six points I like to hit, but this one was only one probably because there was just so much to this chapter. As short as it is, it filled with plenty of things and I didn't want to overstuff the chapter. On word this is about four and a half pages typed and my usual for this story is about 6-7._

 _Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This was a chapter that I had imagined since I thought of this story concept back when I was still in high school. I'm glad you can all read it now!_

 _Special thanks to_ Flareup4Ratchet, Astraearose-silvermoon, and flaxj for their wonderful reviews. You guys are the reason I can get off my ass and write.

Please don't forget to Review/Follow/Favorite this story. It really helps my drive to know I have readers. As always I love any sort of criticism so please send some, but do be nice I am on my own here.

Love,

~Miyu K.


End file.
